Sligo Rovers 2 - 1 UCD

• David Goulden
• Thu, Jul 15 2010


Padraig Amond struck a minute into injury time at The Showgrounds on Tuesday night to give Sligo Rovers a four point lead over their opposition for the night UCD. Ciaran Kilduff almost spoilt the party with an 88th minute equalizer for The Students.

Rovers played their best football of the season in the first half and central to this was one Joseph Ndo. The former Cameroon international stands out in every game he plays but on this night it was Ndo who was at the very centre of everything good about Sligo.

It was Eoin Doyle who had the home side's first chance of the game in only the second minute as Rovers dominated the first half. His drive from the edge of the area was blocked down by a UCD defender before winger John Dillon almost repeated his wonder goal against Galway on Friday night last as his 25 yard shot rose at the wrong second to clear over Ger Barron's crossbar. Ndo then had two chances; the first came on ten minutes but his shot went over and two minutes later the former Bohs playmaker beat two UCD defenders only to find Barron's feet which deflected the ball to safety.

UCD attempted to get a foothold in the game, but when Richie Ryan, Joey Ndo and John Russell are in form, it is a mammoth task. Rovers eventually and deservedly found the net on 28 minutes. Doyle received the ball from Russell on the right and his cross found Padraig Amond who hooked the ball over Barron for his 12th league goal of the season.

Sligo should have been out of sight before half time as Ndo, Doyle and Dillon all had chances. Ndo and Rovers were finding space out of nowhere with some wonderful pass and move football. Just before half time, Russell’s thirty yard shot bounced back off the Railway End cross bar as Rovers pushed for daylight between the two sides.

Martin Russell introduced Robert Creevy for Paul Corry due to injury at half time as UCD began to find their feet in this game after a first half spent largely in their own half. Keith Ward caused Sligo problems in the second half as he found space behind Russell and Ryan. His 60th minute strike from 30 yards had Richard Brush in the Sligo goal at sixes and sevens but the Birmingham native managed to acrobatically tip the ball over the bar.

Ndo and Russell were causing the away side problems again and in the 70th minute Russell came close with a header from an Ndo corner. While Ndo continued to run at the UCD defence, the game was not near won. And it looked as if football would play another cruel trick on the Sligo fans yet again as Jim Lauchlan got in front of a Ciaran Kilduff shot in the 88th minute to deflect the ball out of the reach of Brush and into the net.

A dramatic ending saw Ndo’s free kick from just outside the opposition’s penalty area in injury time find Amond and he headed the ball past Barron to give Rovers the three points.

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Jim `Lauchlan, Iarflaith Davoren; Eoin Doyle, Richie Ryan, John Russell (Conor O’Grady 77), John Dillon (Gary McCabe 77); Joseph Ndo, Padraig Amond.
Subs not used: Derek Foran, Ciaran Kelly, Mark McGoldrick

UCD: Ger Barron; Michael Kelly, Evan McMillan, Andy Boyle, Ciaran Nangle; Paul O’Conor (Stephen Roche 67), Paul Corry (Robbie Creevy 45), Keith Ward; Dwayne Wilson, Ciaran Kilduff, Graham Rusk.
Subs not used: Gareth Matthews, Billy Brennan, Stephen Doyle.

Referee: Tom Connolly
Extratime Man of the Match: Joseph Ndo