UCD 0 - 1 Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers came out on top of this evenly matched encounter at Belfield on Friday night, thanks to a first half goal from Man of the Match Sean Doherty. Defeat for the Students leaves them with an uphill task in their bid to avoid relegation.

This season's earlier meetings between the two sides finished scoreless, however the opening exchanges of this encounter was to suggest that three in a row was highly unlikely.

After just two minutes Pat McWalter was cynically brought crashing to the ground by Sligo's Chris Butler. The full back received a yellow and from the resulting Alan Mahon free kick, Ian Bermingham headed straight at Richard Brush from just six yards.

Minutes later Raf Cretaro had all the time in the world to pick a pass from midfield. He chose Doherty who had come in from the touchline, but Matt Gregg got down quick and well to save the wingers shot from eighteen yards.

Doherty was to be denied again within the space of a few short minutes. Romo Boco committed a couple of UCD defenders before setting up Doherty on the edge of the box. The former Fulham man took a touch to steady himself before hitting a powerful shot goalwards. Gregg was on his way to making an attempted save, but Mahon got back in time to make a great block on the six yard line.

It was then UCD's turn to attack. Shane Duggan tested Brush from twenty five yards with a low drive, then the former Plymouth midfielder played a neat one two with McWalter, but once again Brush denied him, this time from close range.

The high tempo continued, and Conor O'Grady got in on the action with a rasping shot from thirty yards that Gregg parried and then claimed.

Midway through the half a extended period of Sligo possession resulted in Seamus Coleman being set free on the right. The Ireland Under 21 International whipped in a dangerous cross that appeared to strike the hand of Bermingham. Referee Dave McKeon wasn't interested in the half hearted appeals though and signalled a corner kick.

Coleman was then involved again two minutes later - and this time McKeon did point to the spot. The right back floated a ball into the box that Gregg decided to come off his line for. Cretaro got to it first, before being clattered by the former Bohs keeper. Doherty converted the place kick.

The former England Youth international should have made it two just after the half hour mark, but his volley from sixteen yards hit the turf and bounced up over the crossbar. Ronan Finn suggested early on that the second half may have just as much goalmouth activity. He struck a smart volley from the right hand side of the box, but it went narrowly wide of the upright.

With UCD needing a goal, and deep in relegation trouble, one expected them to take the game to Sligo in the second half and get men into the box when attacking - however it didn't really happen that way, and if anything it was the visitors that looked more likely to increase the games goal tally when they counter attacked.

Just before the hour mark Conor Kenna misjudged the bounce of a long ball just outside the box. Boco was sniffing, but Alan McNally tidied things up almost effortlessly. Boco then stung the palms of Gregg when he turned swiftly twenty five yards from goal and took a quick left footed shot.

Duggan continued to be UCD's star man. He moved the ball well and had two or three shots from just outside the box blocked by some enthusiastic Sligo defenders. Finn also looked lively at times, but ultimately for UCD an end product was missing.

Boco had a great chance to double the lead in the last minute when he played a neat one two with substitute Paul McTiernan, but the Benin internationals shot hit the side netting.

UCD: Matt Gregg; Alan Mahon, Conor Kenna, Alan McNally, Ian Bermingham (Keith Ward 75 (Brian Shortall 84); Pat McWalter, Ronan Finn, Shane McFaul, Shane Duggan (Brian King 75); Darren Meenan, Timmy Purcell.
Subs not used: Billy Brennan, Evan McMillan.

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Seamus Coleman, Gavin Peers, Danny Ventre, Chris Butler; Brian Cash (Paul McTiernan 73), Conor O'Grady, Richie Ryan, Sean Doherty (Davy McDaid 75); Romauld Boco, Raffaele Cretaro (Gary Curran 68).
Subs not used: Pat Jennings, Matthew Judge.

Referee: Dave McKeon.

Attendance: 290