Background:The nucleosynthesis of the neutron-deficient p nuclei remains an open question in nuclear astrophysics. Beside uncertainties on the astrophysical side, the nuclear-physics input parameters entering Hauser-Feshbach calculations for the nucleosynthesis of the p nuclei must be put on a firm basis. Purpose: An extended database of experimental data is needed to address uncertainties of the nuclear-physics input parameters for Hauser-Feshbach calculations. Especially a-(-nucleus optical model potentials at low energies are not well known. The in-beam technique with an array of high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors was successfully applied to the measurement of absolute cross sections of an (a,y ) reaction on a heavy nucleus at sub-Coulomb energies. Method: The total and partial cross-section values were measured by means of in-beam y -ray spectroscopy. For this purpose, the absolute reaction yield was measured using the HPGe detector array HORUS at the FN tandem accelerator at the University of Cologne. Total and partial cross sections were measured at four different a-particle energies from Ea -10.5 MeV to Ea = 12 MeV. Results: The measured total cross-section values are in excellent agreement with previous results obtained with the activation technique, which proves the validity of the applied method. With the present measurement, the discrepancy between two older data sets is removed. The experimental data was compared to Hauser-Feshbach calculations using the nuclear reaction code TALYS. With a modification of the semi-microscopic a + nucleus optical model potential OMP 3, the measured cross-section values are reproduced well. Moreover, partial cross sections could be measured for the first time for an (a , y ) reaction. Conclusions: A modified version of the semimicroscopic a + nucleus optical model potential OMP3, as well as modified proton and y widths, are needed in order to obtain a good agreement between experimental data and theory. It is found that a model using a local modification of the nuclear-physics input parameters simultaneously reproduces total cross sections of the ll2Sn(a,y) and ll2Sn(a,p) reactions. The measurement of partial cross sections turns out to be very important in this case in order to apply the correct y-ray strength function in the Hauser-Feshbach calculations. The model also reproduces cross-section values of a-induced reactions on l06Cd, as well as of (a.n) reactions on 1 l5 ll6Sn, hinting at a more global character of the obtained nuclear-physics input.