Freddie Draper's red-hot form in front of goal continued as Drogheda United won back-to-back games for the first time in 12 months, beating UCD at Weavers Park.
Teenage striker Draper, two months shy of his 19th birthday, has been tasked with spearheading the Drogheda attack this season.
The on-loan Lincoln City striker has started every match this term and after netting only once in his first 11 outings, his brace against the Students means he now has five in his last six.
Remarkably, United had not managed the moderate feat of successive victories since May of last year when Finn Harps and Shamrock Rovers were beaten.
The victory is all the more impressive given UCD had taken a first half lead through Adam Wells. The left wing back's strike briefly suggested a shock could be on the cards but such hope for Andy Myler was soon extinguished.
After fine work from Ciaran Behan and Daniel Norris, Wells’ supplied an excellent side-foot finish to find the bottom corner.
UCD were unlucky not to double their lead almost instantly as Jake Doyle rattled the crossbar seconds after the game restarted.
After Luke Heeney won the ball in midfield, Darragh Markey slipped in Draper. He timed his run perfectly and applied the finish to match to level the game.
Just three minutes later, he put United ahead. He controlled a brilliant Aaron McNally pass into the area. It looked as if the opportunity to score had passed him by but he regained possession and lobbed Moore. In no time at all, the mood around the old Windmill Road venue changed.
The striker turned provider for Dylan Grimes’ game-clinching goal in the second half, nodding down for the midfielder to tap in from point blank range.
What will be high on Kevin Doherty's list of priorities now is ensuring the 18-year-old's loan deal from Lincoln runs to the end of the Premier Division season.
Last season, he lost loanees Sam Long and Sean Roughan in summer returns to their parent club. A mid-season recall for Draper would rob Drogheda of one of the most exciting young teens in the top flight this term.
Drogheda United: Colin McCabe; Elicha Ahui, Emmanuel Adegboyega, Conor Keeley, Aaron McNally; Luke Heeney (Matthew O'Brien, 90+1), Ryan Brennan; Dylan Grimes, Darragh Markey, Dayle Rooney; Freddie Draper (Adam Foley, 77)
UCD: Kian Moore; Jack Keaney, Harvey O’Brien, Evan Osam (Colin Bolton, 72); Donal Higgins (Michael Gallagher, 53), Dara Keane (Matthew Alonge, 73), Ciaran Behan, Alex Nolan (Brendan Barr, 58); Daniel Norris, Jake Doyle (Danu Kinsella-Bishop, 72).
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan
