Shamrock Rovers 1-1 UCD

From rte.ie

22:32

Thursday, 9th October, 2008

Brian Shortall struck late for UCD to earn a crucial point in their battle against the drop.

Behind to Eoin Doyle's 52nd minute strike, the Students showed fighting spirit to earn a draw in the 81st minute.

Substitute Shortall was in the right place to bundle home from close range when Conor Kenna headed Brian King's free-kick across goal.

But the defender should have seen red a minute later when his horrific lunge on Darragh Stapleton ended the Hoops sub's night, but amazingly went unpunished.

It was a sour end to a night when the home team threw away a lead at home for the second time in a week.

They had dominated the first hour and deservedly went in front through Doyle who finished well after Padraig Amond had redirected Joseph Ndo's cross into his path.

Pete Mahon fielded an unchanged line up from the side from their crucial 1-0 win over Drogheda, while Pat Scully made just one change from the 2-2 draw against Bray on Tuesday.

Padraig Amond scored twice in that one, and the Irish U-21 squad member almost kept that form up in the first minute, heading just over from Joseph Ndo's pinpoint cross.

The front two linked well again minutes later, Ndo threading the ball through to his partner only for Alan Mahon to get across and clear well.

At the other end, Shane Duggan had a good chance for UCD, hitting the side netting before the home team put together the slickest move of the game after twenty minutes.

Impressive young winger Doyle did well to hold the ball up before sending a perfectly weighted ball through for Ndo. The Cameroonian attacker steadied himself and crossed to the incoming Amond, but Matt Gregg stayed big and saved well.

Amond must have been wondering if his luck was out when his header from Sean O'Connor's cross went wide despite his great position and being given the freedom of the UCD box.

Ndo then took matters into his own hands, capitalising on some hesitancy in the College defence and sending a low shot goalwards that Gregg had to be at his best to deny.

UCD got the breakthrough they deserved but once again couldn't hang on as the Hoops play out their last few meaningless games at Tolka before their move to Tallaght.

Shamrock Rovers: Duggan; O'Brien, Price (Martin 53), Maguire, Treacy; Doyle D O'Connor, Madden, S O'Connor (Stapleton 75); Ndo, Amond (Purcell 78).

UCD: Gregg; Mahon (Shortall 67), Kenna, McNally, Bermingham; McFaul, Duggan (Fitzgerald 45), King, McWalter; Purcell, Meenan.

Ref: T Connolly (Dublin)