Schools' Rugby/Wesley College 6 St Columba's College 3: Outhalf Henry Micks was Wesley College's hero as they booked their place in the second round with victory over local rivals St Columba's College at a wet and windy Sandycove Rugby Club yesterday.

Micks earned Wesley a replay last Wednesday and he again made a telling contribution with a second-half penalty and drop goal to overturn a 3-0 half-time deficit.

St Columba's were the better team in the first game, and, again, looked the likely winners in the opening half with Adam Dean scoring a fine 40-metre penalty while Julian Cafolla and Kondrad Pierchalla almost crossed for tries.

But as the second half dragged on, Wesley's pack began to take control and it seemed a matter of time before Columba's resistance would crack. As they struggled territorially mistakes crept into their play and, more worryingly, ill-discipline.

Micks took full advantage when he converted a penalty in the 60th minute, though in the space of five minutes he missed two further opportunities from penalties. But in the 67th minute a powerful forward move drove St Columba's back to their goalline and they set up Micks for a drop goal from 10 metres.

WESLEY COLLEGE: K Johnson; R Murphy, C Power, D Good, L Keogh; H Micks, E McLaughlin; R Phelan, J Brickenden, P Walker, A Culhane, G Hunt, I Slattery, M O'Byrne, D Lyons. Replacements: N Mukhtar for Murphy (60 mins), S O'Kennedy for L Keogh (62 mins).

ST COLUMBA'S COLLEGE: A Dean; A Mitchell, H Davis-Goff, A Henk, K Pierchalla; A Philpot, B Cork; T Goodbody, J Moore, W Evans, O Harrison, A Rauscher, J Cafolla, O Rowland, B Rhodes-Vivour. Replacements: N Grumbley for Evans (31 mins), M Davis for Cafolla (63 mins).