UCD 2 

Sligo Rovers 1 

Paul Buttner reports from the UCD Bowl 

A FREAK EQUALISER from Sam Clarke and a stunning Jake Doyle strike gave UCD an unlikely come from behind win over Sligo Rovers at the UCD Bowl.

Trailing to Jack Keaney’s first half own goal, UCD plugged away with limited possession in the second half and levelled in unconventional fashion on 74 minutes.

Sligo left-back Danny Lafferty shepherded substitute Daniel Kinsella-Bishop’s header back to goalkeeper Luke McNicholas.

But the alert Clarke, on the pitch just 30 seconds, rushed down the clearance with the ball striking him full in the face to roll past the stranded McNicholas and into the net for a bizarre first senior goal for the 19-year-old.

📽️ | Another night of screamers...

...and then there's this!

Sami Clarke's goal helped UCD on their way to a brilliant win against Sligo Rovers 👏#UCDSLI | #LOI pic.twitter.com/SsRCbPogj1

— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) June 23, 2023

Doyle, just 18, then won it for College on 85 minutes when getting on the end of Alex Nolan’s in-swinging free kick to find the top corner with a sublime header.

Kian Moore secured the three points with a brilliant save on 88 minutes, somehow turning Max Mata’s header over the crossbar.

The victory ends a run of eight straight defeats for UCD who reduce their deficit at the foot of the table to 12 points.

A damaging defeat for Sligo means they have now won just once in eight games and remain two points ahead of Cork City in the relegation play-off place.

Sligo enjoyed plenty of possession from the off and deserved their 22nd minute lead from the first corner of the game.

Johan Brannefalk’s delivery was nodded down at the back post by John Mahon. Captain David Cawley got to the loose ball to get his shot away with UCD skipper, and former Sligo defender, Keaney deflecting it into his own net.

UCD’s chief threat Doyle worked McNicholas for the first time nine minutes into the second half before the real drama unfolded late on.

UCD: Moore; Babb, Keaney, Wells, Osam; O’Regan (Kinsella-Bishop, 62); Nolan, Barr, Gallagher (Clarke, 73), Norris (O’Brien, 88); Doyle.

Sligo Rovers: McNicholas; Brannefalk, Mahon, Pijnaker, Lafferty; Morahan (Barlow, 75), Browning, Cawley (Bolger, 67); Radosavljevic (Liivak, 60), Mata, Fitzgerald.

Referee: Adriano Reale (Wexford).