Kilkenny College booked their place in the next round of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup after a 23-10 victory over Presentation College Bray at Energia Park. Tries from Harry Rogers and Mark Stanley either side of half time as well as 13 points from the boot of Sean Naughton secured the win for the South Leinster school.

The game started with Pres Bray enjoying some early possession inside the Kilkenny half but after a stray pass from the Wicklow side. Glenn O’Rourke intercepted the ball and raced down the pitch all the way into the Pres Bray 22 metre line. Thankfully for Pres, winger Joshua Kenny showed tremendous pace and determination to hunt down Kenny and slow down the attack.

After a couple of phases, Kilkenny were awarded a penalty just to the right of the posts. Sean Naughton added the first points after four minutes on the clock.

The boys in white instantly replied with a penalty of their own from Jack Murphy to level the scores inside the first ten minutes.

Kilkenny College looked dangerous whenever Sean Naughton was able to spread passes wide and that’s how the games first try was scored. Naughton played a fantastic ball out to winger Stefan Hillebrand. The Kilkenny winger chipped the ball down the line before kicking it on again beyond the Pres Bray back three. Centre Harry Rogers put on the after burners and dived over the line to score the first try of the affair after just over a quarter of an hour played.

The South Leinster side continued to mount the pressure on their opponents and Sean Naughton’s in play kicking ability caused the Presentation Bray side some discomfort.

Maurice Logue’s side also struggled against Kilkenny at the lineout and lost two of their own lineouts during the first period.

Sean Naughton added a further three points before the interval to send his side into the break with a 13-3 advantage.

Pres Bray were dealt another blow just five minutes into the second half when substitute Will Seymour was sin binned for a high tackle. The bad news and relentless pressure continued to come the way of Pres when Kilkenny College found their second try of the game.

The Kilkenny pack opted for a maul after winning their line out on the Pres five metre line. Second row Mark Stanley’s sheer power and eagerness to cross the line resulted in his side stretching their advantage.

Sean Naughton was faced with a difficult conversion attempt from an acute angle, but the Kilkenny fly half sent the ball straight between the post to increase their lead to 17 points.

Pieter Swabepoel’s Kilkenny side continued to use the force of their pack as a means to gain yards up the pitch and force Pres Bray to concede penalties.

With just under a quarter of an hour to be played. Sean Naughton another penalty from just inside the Pres Bray half to add to his tally .

The Pres Bray boys did find a try with just over ten minutes to play courtesy of lock Billy Corrigan. The Garden County outfit used the power of centre pairing Will Seymour and Finn Treacy to gain some valuable metres up the pitch before Corrigan powered over from close range.

It was a case of too little too late for the Pres side and Kilkenny College progress to the next round.