Sport

Bohemians avoid slip-up at Belfield

UCD... 1 Bohemians... 2: Last week UCD dented the title aspirations of St Patrick's Athletic with a 1-0 victory

Sat Sept 28 2002 - 01:00

UCD ... 1 Bohemians ... 2: Last week UCD dented the title aspirations of St Patrick's Athletic with a 1-0 victory. But last night at Belfield Park they failed to halt the progress of leaders Bohemians, going down 2-1.

However, early on another shock result certainly looked possible as John Martin put the home side ahead inside two minutes, while Robert Doyle should have doubled that lead within 60 seconds but failed to capitalise on an uncharacteristic error by the Bohemians defence.

Stephen Kenny's side, however, got their act together levelling on 29 minutes through Stephen Caffrey before claiming the win just five minutes after the re-start.

UCD keeper Barry Ryan had done well to palm Colin Hawkins header away, but he was left helpless as Mark Rutherford crossed the ball back for Derek Coughlan to head home.

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The winner had come moments after early Bohemians second-half pressure during which time skipper Kevin Hunt should have scored but was denied by the UCD keeper.

As starts went the Students could not have asked for a brighter one which really should have yielded two goals inside the opening three minutes.

As it was they had just the one. And it came with just 90 seconds gone, Robert Doyle's cross appeared to be comfortably dealt with by Hunt, but his header fell woefully short to his keeper Ashley Bayes, allowing John Martin in and he made no mistake from 10 yards.

Within a minute the Bohemians defence presented yet another golden opportunity to the home side, this time Hawkins header back fell short but on this occasion Doyle failed to capitalise firing wide.

However, just before the half hour mark Bohemians were back on level terms when Caffrey rose above the home defence to powerfully head home a Simon Webb cross for his second league goal of the season while the leaders were then rewarded with Coughlan's winner in the 50th minute.

UCD: B Ryan, Mahon, Davey, McAuley, Delaney, McNally, J Martin, McDonnell, Doyle, Finn, Sullivan: Subs: Cawley, for J Martin (20). Whelan for McNally (68).

BOHEMIANS: Bayes, Lynch, Webb, Hunt, Coughlan, Hawkins, Ryan, Caffrey, Keegan, Crowe, Rutherford. Subs: Harkin for Ryan (76 mins). O'Neill for Keegan (83 mins).

Referee: Aidan O'Regan (Cork)