UCD 2 Dro


The late heroics of goalkeeper Mark McGinley earned UCD a vital point in their battle against relegation in an incident-packed clash at the UCD Bowl.

With Drogheda pressing in stoppage time, UCD defended frantically as first the width of a post deprived Declan O’Brien of a hat-trick.

McGinley then made a terrific parry save to clear Michael Daly’s fiercely struck shot. From the resulting corner Alan Byrne’s header was flicked goalwards by Gary O’Neill. But McGinley showed brilliant reflexes to tip the ball over the bar.

Drogheda went ahead on ten minutes. Midfielder David Cassidy threaded a delightful ball through for skipper O'Brien who finished in style.

UCD equalised on 19 minutes as Dean Clarke turned Byrne a little too easily to drill a low drive past Gabriel Sava.

UCD went ahead on 55 minutes after Sava inexplicably handled the ball way outside his box. Robbie Benson touched the resulting free kick to James Kavanagh who drilled the ball low to the net.

A minute later Drogheda were level. O'Brien profited from some sloppy defending by Hugh Douglas and McGinley's attempted clearance rebounded off the striker and into the net.
UCD: McGinley; Matthews, Douglas, O'Connor, Langtry; Belhout (Burke, 69), Creevy (McCabe, 81), Kavanagh, Russell; Benson; Clarke.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Sava; Daly, Byrne, Grimes, G. Brennan; Cassidy, O'Conor, O'Neill, R. Brennan (Marks, 83); O'Brien, Hynes (Rusk, 62).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).