Ucd (2) - St Patrick's Athletic (1)

Match Report

UCD 2 - St Patrick's Athletic 1

Darren Meenan killed off St Patrick's Athletic's title challenge after scoring a late winner, which earned the Students a 2-1 win at the UCD Bowl.

Picking possession up 25 yards from goal, Meenan curled the ball into the top right-corner of Gary Rogers' net - earning three points for the home side.

David O'Connor had put the Students in front after 38 minutes before David McMillan equalised for Pat's two minutes into the second half, which sparked a second-half onslaught but in the end it was not enough to earn the visitors a way back into the title race.

And Pat's must be wondering where it all went wrong, because for a time they were in absolute control after equalising early in the second half.

For the next 15 minutes, they were on top. But Mark McGinley was excellent in UCD's goal and on the counter-attack, Meenan was in great form and almost scored with a low 65th-minute shot which Rogers did well to save.

It wasn't the first time he had saved from the winger.

Earlier, his fingertips got to Meenan's high, curling shot, pushing the ball away for a corner.

Yet from Paul Corry's corner, Meenan timed his run late to cross perfectly for O'Connor to head in.

And it was Meenan who hit a brilliant 25-yard effort in the 90th minute to secure the points for UCD.

Pat's pressed frantically for the equaliser, but it was not to be and the Inchicore side will now likely turn their main attentions to the FAI Ford Cup semi-final.

© rte.ie

Match Info

Date: 03/10/2011
Competition: League
Venue: The UCD Bowl

Home Team

Mark McGinley; Hugh Douglas, David O'Connor, Michael Leahy, Daniel Ledwith; Dean Marshall (Dean Clarke 78), Paul Corry, Paul O'Conor, Samir Belhout (Robbie Benson 59), Darren Meenan; Graham Rusk.

Away Team

Gary Rogers; Brian Shortall (Derek Pender 73), Conor Kenna, Evan McMillan, Ian Bermingham; Derek Doyle, Paul Crowley, Ian Daly (Stephen Bradley 78), Sean O'Connor, Anthony Murphy; Dave McMillan (John O’Connor 88).