UCD 0
St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Paul Buttner reports from the UCD Bowl
JOE REDMOND led by example with a first-half winner as St Patrick’s Athletic laboured to victory at the UCD Bowl.
Though they dominated possession, St Pat’s had goalkeeper Dean Lyness to thank for big saves in both halves while UCD also hit a post late on.
It’s as you were at the top of the table as St Pat’s stay four points off leaders Shamrock Rovers. UCD remain 14 points adrift at the bottom.
St Patrick’s had scored 13 goals in the side’s previous three meetings this season, including seven when they last met at Richmond Park at the end of June, but they made hard work of breaking UCD down here.
With Northern Ireland international Ryan McLaughlin making his debut at right-back in one of three changes from their penalty shootout win at Derry City last Sunday, St Pat’s not unexpectedly enjoyed plenty of the ball from the start.
Despite that, it was UCD who brought the first real threat on goal on 13 minutes, Dara Keane collecting an incisive pass from Sean Brennan to drill his shot not far wide of Lyness’ right-hand post.
Minutes later Lyness had to react well to push a Jack Keaney header round a post from Brennan’s free kick.
While continuing to dominate possession, St Pat’s were struggling to create much in the final third, never mind trouble Lorcan Healy in the College goal.
They were then stretched on the counter as Brennan broke down the middle to set up Danu Kinsella-Bishop who drove his shot wide.
Just when it looked like the visitors’ frustration would be taken into the half-time break, they scored from their fourth corner of the game on 43 minutes.
The UCD marking was all but non-existent as skipper Redmond arrived at the back post to score with a free header from Jake Mulraney’s delivery.
In a repeat pattern of the first half, St Pat’s controlled the ball, but continued to struggle in front of goal.
It was the hour mark before they threatened, Mulraney’s shot deflected out for another corner.
And while Mulraney bounced another corner onto the crossbar, as in the first half, it was Lyness who a minute earlier was first to be forced into a save, pushing away a speculative shot from substitute Jake Doyle.
St Patrick’s then had a right let-off twice in quick succession on 80 minutes.
Lyness first made the save of the game to deprive the lively Brennan. Kinsella-Bishop then saw his follow-up shot come back off a post.
UCD: Healy; Osam (O’Brien, 84), Keaney, Wells, Dempsey (Curtis, 79); Verdon (Doyle, 73), Keane; Norris (Raggett, 79), Brennan, Behan (Higgins, 73); Kinsella-Bishop.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Lyness; McLaughlin, Redmond, McGrath, Breslin; Lennon (McCormack, 82), Murphy (Doyle, 70); Mulraney, Leavy, Forrester; Carty (Lonergan, 82).
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork).