TWO tries from Matthew McCullough helped Dowdales School's Year 10 rugby league team clinch the Cumbria County Schools crown with a thrilling 28-24 victory over St Benedicts.

The team had originally been due to face their rivals from West Cumbria at Craven Park, but the match was switched to Dowdales' home turf due to wet weather.

And in a contest which swung one way then the other, the Dalton side eventually emerged victorious to lift the trophy.

Along with McCullough's double, Morgan Cubin, Ben Ashburner and Ross McClachlan all ran in tries as well, with the successful conversions making certain of the win.

Dowdales' Year 8 team were in action against St Benedicts too in the first match of the double-header, but came up just short in a 32-16 defeat.

Daniel Nott scored two tries for the hosts, with Lucas Seal adding one and Dan Atkinson kicking two conversions.

The Year 10s now go through to the national quarter-finals of the Champion Schools competition and face a trip to Saddleworth on Tuesday, March 26.

The Year 8s have already played their quarter-final match, but were beaten 22-10 by Wigan side St Marys.

There are still three more Cumbria schools finals to be decided, with plenty of interest from this area in all of them.

Two of them are scheduled for Craven Park on Thursday, March 28.

They see Furness Academy take on Dowdales in the Year 9 final, followed by Ulverston facing St Bernards in the Year 11 final.

Millom are into the Year 7 final as well, although the date and venue for that match is still to be confirmed.