TWO first-half tries from Dublin University fullback Jan Cunningham gave the students the impetus they so badly needed against Old Wesley in the first round of the Leinster Senior Cup at College Park yesterday.

Both Cunningham's tries were the result of Trinity's commitment to fluid, open rugby. They came in the 18th and 37th minutes with Michael McDonagh converting the second. In between, Old Wesley's insistence on creeping back into the game gained little reward as they were shunted back in the tackle time and again. The Wesley out-half Adrian Hawe did manage a first-half injury time penalty to leave his side trailing 12-3.

On the resumption he kicked two further penalties in the 43rd and 55th minute. Sandwiched in between was a McDonagh penalty which meant the students held a 15-9 lead with barely 10 minutes remaining. And when Brian Quinn made the best of copybook approach play from number eight Willie Robb and scrum-half Mark Edwards to go over under the posts, with McDonagh adding the conversion, Wesley looked a beaten lot.

But late tries from Robert Casey and Robbie Love of which the second was converted by Simon Mitchell, kept Trinity on their toes until the end.