College pegged back by Murray strike

UCD and Cork City took a point each from this lively 1-1 eircom League Premier Division encounter at Belfield Park.

Connor Sammon put the Students ahead on 71 minutes but Dan Murray pulled City level in the 75th minute.

Despite being played in relatively calm conditions, a torrential downpour that fell above south Dublin early in the evening left the surface slippy and both sides prone to losing possession.

John O’Flynn, still on the path to full fitness, started for City and went close after just four minutes.

He latched on to a Joe Gamble ball from deep on the right and unleashed a strong low shot from inside the box but UCD goalkeeper Darren Quigley got down well to make the save.

In the 10th minute, O’Flynn was in the thick of it again when he put in a looping shot from the right of the box but his strike bounced off Alan Mahon and went out for a corner.

UCD’s first half-chance came on 16 minutes when Patrick Kavanagh shot wide when under pressure from Danny Murphy having taken a fine ball from Paul Byrne.

Roy O’Donovan then found the side netting with a low shot from the right on 25 minutes.

Cork continued to dominate and went close twice within seconds on 44 minutes but were thwarted by fine saves from Quigley.

First he got a hand to a Billy Woods pile driver and then superbly blocked a follow-up from O’Flynn.

City started the second half where they left off with O’Flynn finding himself in possession inside the box but Conor Kenna nipped in to steal the ball off his toe.

Joe Gamble then took a free for City after 49 minutes but he over-hit his effort and it went over the crossbar.

O’Flynn was in again on 65 minutes with a darting run into the area but Quigley rushed out and forced the City hit-man into shooting wide.

The game sprang to life in a four minute spell after 71 minutes.

UCD took a dramatic and unexpected lead when Sammon dashed down the left wing unchallenged and stroked a glorious shot over the diving City keeper Michael Devine to record UCD’s first league goal in five matches.

The lead didn’t last long, as City captain Murray, who could have blocked Sammon for UCD’s goal, atoned for his mistake by slamming a 25 yarder past Quigley on 75 minutes.

UCD: Quigley, Mahon, Ryan, Kenna, McNally, McDonnell, Kavanagh (McWalter 60), Dicker, Sammon, C Byrne (C Byrne 87), Doyle.

Cork City: Devine, Murphy, Bennett, Murray, O’Brien (Lordan 73), Fenn, O’Flynn, Woods (Softic 73), O’Donovan (Behan 80), Gamble, Horgan.

Referee: Pat Whelan (Dub).