UCD 1
Cork City 0

Paul Buttner reports from the UCD Bowl

A LIGHTNING EARLY strike from Ciaran Behan brought UCD their first win of the season in the clash of the bottom two.

Andy Myler’s Students remain at the foot of the table but reduce the gap on ninth-place Cork to four points. 

Cork may have won the first meeting of the sides when cruising to a 4-0 victory at Turner’s Cross early last month. 

But they had a rude awakening here as UCD started on the front foot and punished them to take the lead after just 53 seconds, for what would prove the only goal of the night.

Mark Dignam was the architect, tigerishly winning the ball off a sluggish Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh before then skilfully skipping past Aaron Bolger.

He then laid the ball off to Behan who rifled a low drive past James Corcoran for his second goal of the season.

Cork were fortunate not to find themselves further behind on 20 minutes; College captain Jack Keaney having a shot deflected for a corner before Behan shot wide.

The visitors swapped Tunde Owolabi for Keating up top ahead of the second half to try to inject some urgency to their attack.

But despite enjoying more of the ball, they continued to struggle to create openings, UCD defending doggedly as Cork failed to register a shot on target in the second half.

UCD then finished the stronger with Behan hitting a post on 78 minutes, substitute Alex Nolan blazing the rebound over the top.

UCD: Moore; Osam (O’Regan, 76), Keaney, Wells (Norris, 73), Dempsey; Barr, Dignam; Behan, Keane, Higgins; Doyle (Nolan, 69).

Cork City: Corcoran; Honohan, Hakkinen, Gilchrist, Custovic (Coffey, 60); Bolger, Coleman; Murphy, O’Brien-Whitmarsh (Crowley, 83), Krezic (Varian, 83); Keating (Owolabi, h-t).

Referee: Adriano Reale (Kildare).