For the second year in a row these two colleges produced a brilliant first round game at Portlaoise. Last year it was a last minute penalty which gave Roscrea victory. Yesterday's game followed a similar pattern.

Playing against the strong breeze Clongowes took a surprise lead after five minutes when Des Ryan converted a penalty. Roscrea fought back but were denied on numerous occasions by a solid Glongowes side.

However, five minutes before half-time their pressure was finally rewarded when Conor Phelan went over for a try and converted. On the stroke of halftime the Kildare College got a very important penalty which Des Ryan sent over to leave the minimum separating the sides at the interval.

It was felt at half-time that with wind advantage to come in the second half, the Kildare side would coast to victory and when they took the lead five minutes into the half with another Des Ryan penalty, the writing appeared to be on the wall for Roscrea.

However, they delved deep into their resources and were within inches of scoring a try on a couple of occasions. However, when they failed to score a try with five minutes to go, their chance of victory seemed to have slipped.

Then with four minutes left full-back Peter Brady made a magnificent run from deep in his own half in the field to score a magnificent try. And although Phelan failed with the conversion it was enough to give the Roscrea College a place in the second round.

Scoring: Roscrea: C Phelan - try and con, P Brady - try. Clongowes: D Ryan - 3 pens.

Roscrea: P Brady; H Maloney, A Wrafter, C Phelan, J Hughes; E Kelliher, A Smyth; P Fleming, J Egan, W O'Meara, D Hoctor, N Byrne, P McIntyre, D Corcoran, J Phelan. Replace- ments: O Kavanagh for O'Meara, L Meehan for D Corcoran.

Clongowes: J Connolly; D Sharkey, D Riordan, D Ryan, D Dorgan; K Finan, C Brides; P Hickey, R Gallagher, D Ryan, D Coveney, O Farrell, A McGlynn, R Cighery, J O'Reilly. Replacement: M Carmody for Farrell.

Referee: T Duncan.