UCD 1 - 1 Athlone Town
Credit:
Evan McMillan's dramatic injury time header earned UCD a 1-1 draw at home to Athlone Town this evening, with virtually the last action of the match. Just when it seemed Brendan Place's side had done enough to secure a remarkable victory against the Students, McMillan jumped highest and his looping header dropped into the Athlone goal, with the aid of both the crossbar and the post. Earlier, Stephen Place's effort just after the hour mark had looked as though it would condemn the Students to their second home defeat this week and put a serious dent in their promotion ambitions.
Athlone had started strongly, with UCD struggling to get any sort of rhythm into their play. With promotion rivals Shelbourne and Waterford United not meeting until tomorrow night, the hosts knew a win would put them top of table, if only for 24 hours. Goalkeeper Billy Brennan had to be out quickly to snatch the ball from the feet of Robert Benson just nine minutes in and the UCD goalkeeper was called on again three minutes later when he was forced to turn Stephen Place's driven effort around the post.
Against the backdrop of the setting sun it took UCD 19 minutes to mount a serious assault on the Athlone goal when it took a terrific double block from Luke Walter to deny Greg Bolger inside the area. UCD were finding it hard going however, and when David McMillan's looping header on 27 minutes dropped straight into Alex O'Reilly's arms it seemed symptomatic of a side struggling to make any real impression.
Frano Georgescu was making an excellent impression on his debut for the Midlanders and he showed quick feet after half an hour to get the better of two UCD players and create the space to cross for Auston Skelly. When the midfielder's first effort was only palmed away by the Brennan his defence came to his rescue when the ball looked certain to be prodded home in the ensuing scramble.
Skelly was the target that time but he really should have done better as a provider just three minutes before the break when the ball bounced kindly for him after a challenge in the box. Skelly, with time and space to plan his pass from a tight angle played the ball straight into the path of two UCD defenders when it looked easier to play in one of his team-mates.
Martin Russell made two changes at the break, bringing on John Reilly and Graham Rusk for David McMillan and Keith Ward in an attempt to end the stalemate. Those changes seemed to have an impact as first Stephen Roche and then Skelly missed good chances in the space of two minutes.
First Roche was played in by McMillan and seemed to have plenty of time but Robert Benson was able to apply just enough pressure to force him to mis-kick wide. Skelly found himself in a similar position following substitute Graham Rusk's slide rule ball on 54 minutes but his shot was straight at O'Reilly when a shot to either side would most likely have gone in.
When Greg Bolger hared down the wing shortly afterwards it looked like UCD had finally done it as his cross was played into John Reilly standing a yard out from an open goal. Unfortunately for the home side, Bolger's cross was just an inch too far ahead of his team-mate and the chance was gone.
The Dublin side were soon to regret those missed opportunities, as Athlone raced up the field and Stephen Place was on hand at the edge of the six-yard box to turn in Robert Benson's low cross from the right just after the hour mark. Athlone looked to be heading for their first win since May.
Predictably UCD threw everything at their opponents after that but for all the huffing and puffing created little of note. The travelling Athlone support had their hearts in their mouths on 86 minutes when Kilduff's flick over the goalkeeper looked to be falling into the goal but Luke Hardy was on hand to clear the danger and just when it looked as though Athlone would take home all three points, Timmy Purcell found McMillan with a cross from the right hand side and McMillan was on hand to save the Student's blushes in the third minute of additional time. Athlone stay rooted to ninth spot, while UCD move up to second but Russell's charges will undoubtedly rue missing the chance to head the table tonight.
UCD: B. Brennan, B. Shortall, A. Boyle, E. McMillan, C. Nangle (Purcell), G. Bolger, G. Matthews, S. Roche, C. Kilduff, D. McMillan (Reilly), K. Ward (Rusk)
Subs: M. Leahy, J. Reilly, G. Rusk, T. Purcell, G. Barron
Athlone Town: A. O'Reilly, N. O'Reilly, B. Cleary, D. Hope, L. Hardy, M. Sammon,S. Place, F. Georgescu, A. Skelly (O'Reilly), R. Benson (Hayes), D. O'Connor
Subs: R. Hamm, J. Mernagh, K. O'Reilly,A. Hayes, J. McGuinness
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Stephen Place
Athlone had started strongly, with UCD struggling to get any sort of rhythm into their play. With promotion rivals Shelbourne and Waterford United not meeting until tomorrow night, the hosts knew a win would put them top of table, if only for 24 hours. Goalkeeper Billy Brennan had to be out quickly to snatch the ball from the feet of Robert Benson just nine minutes in and the UCD goalkeeper was called on again three minutes later when he was forced to turn Stephen Place's driven effort around the post.
Against the backdrop of the setting sun it took UCD 19 minutes to mount a serious assault on the Athlone goal when it took a terrific double block from Luke Walter to deny Greg Bolger inside the area. UCD were finding it hard going however, and when David McMillan's looping header on 27 minutes dropped straight into Alex O'Reilly's arms it seemed symptomatic of a side struggling to make any real impression.
Frano Georgescu was making an excellent impression on his debut for the Midlanders and he showed quick feet after half an hour to get the better of two UCD players and create the space to cross for Auston Skelly. When the midfielder's first effort was only palmed away by the Brennan his defence came to his rescue when the ball looked certain to be prodded home in the ensuing scramble.
Skelly was the target that time but he really should have done better as a provider just three minutes before the break when the ball bounced kindly for him after a challenge in the box. Skelly, with time and space to plan his pass from a tight angle played the ball straight into the path of two UCD defenders when it looked easier to play in one of his team-mates.
Martin Russell made two changes at the break, bringing on John Reilly and Graham Rusk for David McMillan and Keith Ward in an attempt to end the stalemate. Those changes seemed to have an impact as first Stephen Roche and then Skelly missed good chances in the space of two minutes.
First Roche was played in by McMillan and seemed to have plenty of time but Robert Benson was able to apply just enough pressure to force him to mis-kick wide. Skelly found himself in a similar position following substitute Graham Rusk's slide rule ball on 54 minutes but his shot was straight at O'Reilly when a shot to either side would most likely have gone in.
When Greg Bolger hared down the wing shortly afterwards it looked like UCD had finally done it as his cross was played into John Reilly standing a yard out from an open goal. Unfortunately for the home side, Bolger's cross was just an inch too far ahead of his team-mate and the chance was gone.
The Dublin side were soon to regret those missed opportunities, as Athlone raced up the field and Stephen Place was on hand at the edge of the six-yard box to turn in Robert Benson's low cross from the right just after the hour mark. Athlone looked to be heading for their first win since May.
Predictably UCD threw everything at their opponents after that but for all the huffing and puffing created little of note. The travelling Athlone support had their hearts in their mouths on 86 minutes when Kilduff's flick over the goalkeeper looked to be falling into the goal but Luke Hardy was on hand to clear the danger and just when it looked as though Athlone would take home all three points, Timmy Purcell found McMillan with a cross from the right hand side and McMillan was on hand to save the Student's blushes in the third minute of additional time. Athlone stay rooted to ninth spot, while UCD move up to second but Russell's charges will undoubtedly rue missing the chance to head the table tonight.
UCD: B. Brennan, B. Shortall, A. Boyle, E. McMillan, C. Nangle (Purcell), G. Bolger, G. Matthews, S. Roche, C. Kilduff, D. McMillan (Reilly), K. Ward (Rusk)
Subs: M. Leahy, J. Reilly, G. Rusk, T. Purcell, G. Barron
Athlone Town: A. O'Reilly, N. O'Reilly, B. Cleary, D. Hope, L. Hardy, M. Sammon,S. Place, F. Georgescu, A. Skelly (O'Reilly), R. Benson (Hayes), D. O'Connor
Subs: R. Hamm, J. Mernagh, K. O'Reilly,A. Hayes, J. McGuinness
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Stephen Place
