UCD WERE DENIED a first win of the season at The Showgrounds as Max Mata’s equaliser earned Sligo Rovers a point.
Rovers took the lead in the first half through Max Mata, before Colm Whelan levelled the score in the second-half.
Evan Caffrey gave UCD the lead moments later, before Mata levelled the scoring late on.
Liam Buckley’s side suffered two consecutive home defeats before tonight’s game; losing 1-0 to Bohemian on Tuesday night, suffering a defeat to Shelbourne the previous Friday with the same score-line.
Rovers made one change to the side that lost on Tuesday night, Jordan Hamilton came in for Niall Morahan.
94’ Full Time. 2-2.
— Sligo Rovers (@sligorovers) April 9, 2022
Max Mata scores twice but it’s not enough.
We face Dundalk on Friday next in Oriel Park. #bitored pic.twitter.com/IsXhFOmIbQ
UCD, on the other hand, were still looking for a first win of the season as they travelled to The Showgrounds, having lost four of their last five.
Andy Myler’s side had only scored three times this season, two of those goals coming in a 4-2 defeat to Drogheda United.
The Dubliners made a handful of changes following the 2-0 defeat to Derry City on Monday.
Alex Dunne, Dylan Duffy, Evan Caffrey and Donal Higgins came into the starting 11 with Sean Brennan, Adam Verdon and John Ryan dropping to the bench, while Eric Yoro missed out.
Patient build-up play from both sides was the story of the first-half, and 10 minutes had elapsed before the first shot on goal.
Canadian Jordan Hamilton ran onto a long ball over the top, and ran through one-on-one with Lorcan Healy in the UCD goals, but the former Toronto FC man couldn’t direct his shot away from the Students’ stopper.
While the visitors weren’t troubling Ed McGinty, they did have their fair share of possession, meaning there was little goalmouth action early on.
The deadlock was broken on 22 minutes. Mata got on the end of an inviting cross from Karl O’Sullivan, nodding in at a tight angle to give the Bit O’Red the lead.
Dylan Duffy’s shot from the left was as close as UCD would come to equalising in the first-half, and while Rovers were leading at the half-way point, there was very little between the two sides.
The Students emerged in the second half hungry for something, and they were back in it on 57 minutes.
Sligo native Liam Kerrigan spotted Colm Whelan in space ahead of him, and his superb ball found the Kilkenny native who finished smartly past McGinty.
Game on, and UCD’s tails were up. Liam Kerrigan and Dylan Duffy had shots saved, before they had some defending to do, as Lewis Banks’ effort was cleared off the line, before UCD went ahead on 77 minutes.
FULL TIME | Second half goals from Colm Whelan and Evan Caffrey secure a point in the Showgrounds 🔵⚽️ #COYBIB
— UCD AFC (@UCDAFC) April 9, 2022
Sligo Rovers 2 - 2 UCD AFC pic.twitter.com/UsDjfYlVrg
Garry Buckley’s misplaced pass came to Dylan Duffy, who found Caffrey, and the 19-year-old beat McGinty from close range to give his side the lead.
On 83 minutes, UCD were hit with a suckerpunch when Rovers found an equaliser.
Greg Bolger’s long free-kick was nodded on by Max Mata, a mix up in the UCD defence between Lorcan Healy and Sam Todd meant that Mata’s header flew into the net, with no-one there to keep it out.
A well-deserved point for the Students on the road, but Liam Buckley’s side will be disappointed to have picked up just one point from three consecutive home games.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Lewis Banks, Nando Pijnaker, Garry Buckley, Robbie McCourt (Paddy Kirk HT); Adam McDonnell (David Cawley 86), Greg Bolger; Karl O’Sullivan, Will Fitzgerald; Max Mata, Jordan Hamilton (Seamas Keogh 74).
UCD: Lorcan Healy; Alex Dunne, Sam Todd, Michael Gallagher, Evan Osam; Jack Keaney, Donal Higgins (Sean Brennan 73); Liam Kerrigan (Adam Lennon 92), Evan Caffrey, Dylan Duffy (Alex Nolan 86); Colm Whelan.
Referee: Derek Tomney.