BEFORE yesterday's Leinster Senior Cup first round tie at Belfield, UCD were claiming mental fatigue so in that respect Skerries had already won the match.

Upcoming exams had deprived them of out-half Richard Ormond, whose kicking ability was missed as wing back Scott Jenys, conspired to pervert the cause of justice when shooting wide from in front of posts with just 10 minutes remaining.

At that stage, with the score 8-8, one kick would have clinched victory and it proved exactly that with Skerries outhalf Jim Dempsey, succeeding where Jenys had failed with two late kicks to put the visitors into the next round.

The game was barely a minute old when New Zealander Sam Zino, intercepted from the half-way line and raced over for UCD. However, Skerries bounced right back when a long pass from centre Gareth Earley, allowed Clive Lawless in for a try in the left corner.

Just before the break, Jenys dispatched a kick to leave the students ahead at the break but it was not enough. The Skerries forwards, although too physical in the words of their counterparts, took command with UCD second row John Ryan, providing the only real threat with some majestic jumping in the line-outs.

It mattered little with Dempsey enjoying the fruits of his pack's labours, kicking three from five attempts, the pick of these coming from just inside the left hand touchline when the out half landed from 35 yards out with six minutes remaining.