This was a very tight contest with St Columba's edging out their opponents to capture the Frasier McMullen Leinster Schools' Section A Senior Cup at Donnybrook yesterday.

With the section B competition beginning at the end of the month, this proved a good workout for both sides. Fittingly only a point separated the teams at the final whistle with Micheal Quinn's second-half penalty in the end proving decisive. Mount Temple attempted to claim back the lead in a frantic final few minutes but St Columba's held out.

St Columba's were forced to start the game without Leinster Schools' panellist Rory McArdle who was on the bench following a minor canoeing accident. Patrick Cooper came into the second row in a reshuffled pack.

While they had some success in the lineouts with wing forward Adam Wilson impressive they found themselves stretched for pace at the back with Mount Temple captain, Ian Kelly, finding the line with a scorching run on five minutes.

Soon after St Columba's levelled matters when they collected from a lineout and hooker Alan Wheeler went over on the left. Quinn missed the subsequent conversion and was wide with another attempt before finally handing St Columba's the lead for the first time from a penalty before halftime.

Mount Temple though proved worthy opponents and five minutes after the break they took the lead for the second time when number eight Darragh Ffrench stretched for a try following a tap penalty inside the opposition's 22.

However with McArdle now on in the backrow for St Columba's the lead switched hands once more as Quinn sent over another successful kick.

With 10 minutes to go, Mount Temple were awarded penalty from the 10-metre line. Kelly's ambitious kick fell well short of the target but St Columba's had infringed as they attempted to clear their lines. Mount Temple were unable to profit from the put in and must now regroup for their game against St Mary's College on the 29th January.

Scorers: Mount Temple - I Kelly, D Ffrench try each; St Columba's: A Wheeler try, M Quinn 2 pens.

Mount Temple: S Finnegan; D Quirke, D Moore, C Scott-Keogh, A Coggin; I Kelly, R Maybury; J Kennedy, M Finglas, N Leonard, T O' Mahony, D Milne, G Kells, J Fitzachary, D Ffrench. Replacements: S Miller for Kells (68 mins), J Gavin for Quirke (h-t).

St Columba's: J O'Malley; M Quinn, G Sweeney, D Nolan, A White; P Bresnihan, J Hamilton; J Moore, A Wheeler, S Scott, R Jennings, P Cooper, A Wilson, R Skinner, W Turner. Replacement: R McArdle for Cooper (h-t).

Referee: D O'Mahony (Leinster)