Sporting Fingal 1-2 UCD

• Niall Farrell
• Sat, Jun 26 2010


A late winner from UCD captain Evan McMillan gave UCD a dramatic last-gasp win over Sporting Fingal on Friday night at Morton Stadium.

Goals were the priority for both sides from the opening whistle, with Eamon Zayed scoring the opener after just 4 minutes. Alan Kirby played the ball into Zayed from the left wing who knocked it down for Conan Byrne out wide on the right. Byrne the returned the ball low for Zayed to tap the ball in.

Fingal enjoyed near-total domination of possession in the opening ten minutes, but began to back off UCD more afterwards. As UCD enjoyed more possession, the Students were able to come back into the match.

Andy Boyle levelled for the away side on 18 minutes. Shaun Williams gave away a free-kick out wide to the right of the Sporting box, and Paul Corry whipped it in for Boyle to head the ball in.

Ciaran Kilduff had a glorious chance for UCD after 27 minutes. Evan McMillan lobbed a ball over the Fingal defence to allow Kilduff, still onside, in on goal. Shaun Williams got back just in time to make a goal-saving tackle before Kilduff shot.

Clarke was called into action eleven minutes later as the Fingal ‘keeper had to make a fine save to deny David McMillan a goal. Dwayne Wilson turned inside Lorcan Fitzgerald on the right wing and passed for McMillan, on his own in front of goal but Clarke parried the ball over the bar brilliantly as the shot came in though.

After half time, Sporting reaffirmed their dominance on the match. Lorcan Fitzgerald saw a chance from long-range go wide on 48 minutes, but Conan Byrne should have put the home side into the lead on 53 minutes.

Glen Crowe passed to Alan Kirby out wide, who cut into the penalty area and found Byrne with a precise pass. Byrne, left with just the ‘keeper to beat, somehow dragged his shot wide when it looked a certain goal.

UCD ‘keeper Billy Brennan was again at the centre of the action minutes later after he pulled off another fine save to deny Alan Kirby a goal.

Evan McMillan made a number of goal-saving tackles, including one on ex-UCD player Conan Byrne right in front of the College goal.

UCD did have a majority of possession in the last fifteen minutes, but The Students weren’t able to finish off their fine passing moves with a goal until the 87th minute.

After a period of sustained UCD pressure, Chris Mulhall whipped in a dangerous corner. Captain Evan McMillan was at hand to head the ball powerfully past the helpless Brendan Clarke.

Two goals from set-pieces gave UCD a win in a match which could have gome either way, keeping College in 6th position in the Premier Division.

Sporting Fingal:Brendan Clarke, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Shaun Williams, Colm James, Brian Gannon, Conan Byrne, Ronan Finn, Alan Kirby (Shane Barrett '88), Shane McFaul, Glen Crowe, Eamon Zayed (Keith Quinn '79)
Subs Not Used:Darren Quigley, Stephen Paisley, Kevin Dawson

UCDBilly Brennan, Brian Shortall (Sean Harding '71), Ciaran Nangle, Evan McMillan, Andrew Boyle, Chris Mulhall, David McMillan, Robert Creevy (Stephen Roche '75), Paul Corry (Paul O'Conor '81), Dwayne Wilson, Ciaran Kilduff
Subs Not Used:Ger Barron, Keith Ward

Referee: Graham Kelly
Attendance: 511
Extratime Man of the Match: Evan McMillan