Saints & Students play out stalemate
Friday, 8 September 2006 23:54UCD and St Patrick's Athletic drew 0-0 in this dull eircom League Premier Division Dublin derby at Belfield Park.
In a fairly uneventful opening, the visitors had the best of play. They forced a corner after just three minutes but Anto Murphy headed Keith Fahey's inch-perfect ball wide of Darren Quigley's post.
Paul Keegan chased every ball up front and very nearly forced a way through on 11 minutes but Paul Crowley nipped in to nick the ball of his toe.
Pat's continued the pressure and Mark Rutherford went close with a terrific low shot that was just off-target.
The UCD midfield and back four were at sixes and sevens at this stage and Rutherford managed to run unchallenged from inside his own half right up to the edge of the UCD box.
Mark Quigley then collected the ball from the Englishman but squandered the chance by giving away possession.
Rutherford, who was having a great night down the left flank, expertly found Mark Rooney to the left of the Pat's box on the half hour but UCD captain Tony McDonnell dispossessed his former College team-mate before he could do any damage.
Rooney put Murphy through on 40 but again Saints' luck was out and Murphy shot wide.
Dicker then went close two minutes into the second half but shot wide after a decent pass from Alan Mahon.
Fahey very nearly put Pat's ahead on 53 with a free-kick but Quigley got a hand to it and tipped the ball over the crossbar.
UCD were coming more into the game at that stage and Conor Kenna got through on 62 minutes but again his strike went wide.
Pat's boss Johnny McDonnell changed his front two on 68 minutes, bringing Sean O'Connor and Chris Armstrong on for Paul Keegan and Mark Quigley but neither had an impact on the game.
UCD: Quigley, Mahon, Kenna, Crowley (C Byrne 24), McNally, McDonnell, McWalter, Dicker, Sammon, Finn (Shorthall 62), Doyle.
St Pat's: Ryan, S Quigley, Brennan, Mulcahy, Murphy, C Foley, M Quigley (Armstrong 68), Fahey, Keegan (O'Connor 68), Rooney (Grogan 82), Rutherford.
