ST ANDREW'S COLLEGE just about confirmed their superiority over underdogs CBC Monkstown in this Leinster Schools' Junior League final played at Donnybrook yesterday.

In doing so, the Booterstown school captured their first trophy since winning the senior cup in 1932. Both sides emerged from the same section of the league. They had played each other once before and knew each other's pattern of play. At times yesterday, it looked as though St Andrews would struggle to emulate their previous win over CBC, and this is how it turned out.

Robert Smith had kicked St Andrews into a precarious 9-3 lead by the 39th minute. CBC's only success came from a Darren McKenna penalty after 19 minutes. This levelled matters at 3-3 before Smith gave his side a 6-3 lead at the break from a 26th-minute penalty.

The outcome of the game hinged on a five-minute spell midway through the second half. When CBC out-half, Oscar Nolan, looped with centre Robert McCarthy, only to be cut down inches from the line, flanker Terry O'Malley picked up and drove over.

McKenna missed the easy conversion. So instead of holding a one-point lead, CBC were still chasing the game. No matter. St Andrews centre Geoff Mackey wrong-footed the CBC backs four minutes later to dive over next to the posts. Smith did not miss his chance to stretch his side's lead to double figures.

Unfortunately, St Andrews wing forward Jamie Gill suffered a broken wrist with five minutes left. But his pain must have been lessened by the jubilation of a rare cup win for St Andrews. There is also the mouth-watering prospect of these sides meeting in the first round of the Leinster Schools' Junior Cup.