CORK CITY'S title challenge was given further momentum with a battling success over a determined UCD at Turner's Cross yesterday.

Cork were on top for most of the game as UCD struggled to overcome the loss of the injured Jason Sherlock but they had to wait until 14 minutes from lime for their winning goal.

This came when John Caulfield sent Damian O'Connell charging at the UCD defence from the right wing. O'Connell turned the ball back for Caulfield but Robert Griffin, in attempting to intercept, was immediately whistled for handball and forfeited a penalty. Ollie Cahill eased Cork's growing worries by converting the penalty.

The goal was no more than Cork deserved, yet they were so wasteful of their scoring opportunities that they must have been close to despair when it arrived.

Curiously, their best chances were wasted by the prolific John Caulfield. After nine minutes he mis kicked when Gareth Cronin drove the ball across the penalty area. Then after 67 minutes, he lost possession to goalkeeper Seamus Kelly after O'Connell had found him in splendid isolation inside the penalty area.

It was very much in the nature of things that UCD should have chances of their own in breakaway attacks and some of the best of these came in the closing minutes when Cork fell back to protect their lead goal. Mick O'Byrne somehow contrived to shoot wide from a central position just 12 yards out. Then fullback Eamon McLoughlin held his head in disappointment after he had snapped up a poor clearance from goalkeeper Phil Harrington and then quickly lobbed the ball back over his head only to see it bounce over the crossbar.

"UCD were determined not to lose and came looking for a point," said Dave Barry, "but I do not think there is any dispute over who deserved to win and I have to be pleased that we are continuing to create scoring chances."