VIRTUALLY the whole length of the Leinster 1A table separated these sides before a ball was kicked at Holmpatrick on Saturday, but leaders Skerries had to work hard to secure victory against relegation-threatened Dundalk.

The visitors had enjoyed a morale-boosting win against Monkstown the previous week but were still in desperate need for points and at half-time a real shock looked to be on the cards, with Dundalk 5-3 ahead despite playing into a bitterly cold wind.

But Skerries emerged from their now familiar half-time huddle with new energy and purpose, shook off the lethargy and showed why they are league leaders with just two matches to go.

Dundalk could have been further ahead at half-time, but didn't deliver on their possession and territory.

They were largely dominant for the first half, when they were more aggressive at the breakdown than Skerries, turned over ruck ball several times, held on to the ball better and repeatedly disrupted the Skerries lineout.

Awarded early penalty kicks, Dundalk would ordinarily have punished the home team, but unwilling to take their chances in the wind they opted to kick for the corners instead.

On 17 minutes they got their reward after a Skerries lineout within their 22 was put under pressure from jumpers Ciaran Sloan and Paul Meegan, forcing an over-throw and allowing Mark Rowntree to get his hands on the ball for Dundalk.

After five phases of play scrum half Thomas Campbell made a break at the side of a ruck to open up space and his pass released a charging captain Paul Meegan who was stopped inches from the try line. Quick ball saw flanker James Mc Connon get over the line on the left wing.

After half an hour Skerries out half David Hewitt was sin-binned after swinging an arm at Chris Scully, but Dundalk couldn't make the superiority count, blowing a glorious chance when spilling the ball on the line, allowing Chris Keane to make a relieving kick.

Then, just before half-time Conal Keane slotted a penalty kick to close the gap to 5-3, and that set the tone for the second period.

Skerries' running was better from the outset, with wingers Paul Devitt and Kevin Mcgrath far more involved. David Lee came off the bench and was involved in much of the action, hooker Chris Tonge was a constant threat and second row Rick O'mahoney's huge workrate saw him put in a man-of-the-match performance.

The tries began to come after 55 minutes when Mcgrath caught a ball at half-way and sprinted deep into Dundalk territory. From the subsequent possession, scrum half Chris Keane dummied round the side of a ruck and ran in under the posts. Conal Keane's conversion made it 10-5.

Skerries spurned an overlap minutes later; nevertheless a penalty kick into the wind - awarded for not releasing in the tackle - put them 13-5 ahead, before Chris Keane bagged his second try following some perfect interplay with Mcgrath.

Now full of running, and owning the ball, Skerries came close on a couple of more occasions until missed tackles allowed fullback David Quirke to dart down the right and release Devitt for the third Skerries try. The conversion made it 25-5.

For their part Dundalk did have possession in the opposition half on occasion, but tended to let Skerries off the hook by conceding needless penalties.

In the last five minutes a great pick-up from a loose Skerries pass allowed Dundalk's out half Trevor Marema to work his way past two tacklers, only to be caught inches from the line.

At the other end Skerries couldn't quite get the bonus point try but could be very satisfied with the win, which keeps them five points ahead of secondTullamore. Their next league game isn't until February 26th when they travel to Coolmine, while Dundalk must prepare for a make-or-break clash away to Garda the same day.

Ene Fa'atau's side host North Kildare in the Towns Cup first round at Mill Road next Sunday (2.30pm), when they will wear a charity jersey which will be auctioned after the match in aid of the Irish Cancer Society.

Skerries have been given a bye into round two in that competition. SKERRIES: David Quirke; Paul Devitt, Conal Keane, Ed Caraher, Kevin Mcgrath; David Hewitt, Chris Keane; Mark Nally, Chris Tonge, James Ngatupuna; Rick O'mahoney, Joe Glennon; Thomas O'hare, Kevin O'connell, Ross Mcauley. Replacements: Packie O'connor, David Lee, Eoghan Dempsey, Eoin Matthews, John Gavin. DUNDALK: G Scully; R Williams, C Scully, MJ Mckevitt, S Murphy; T Marema, T Campbell; K Dorian, J Gray, C Branigan; C Sloan, P Meegan; J Mcconnon, M Rowntree, E Fa'atau. Replacements: G Whately, D Clare.