National League Premier Division/ Derry City 0 UCD 0: Darren Quigley was hailed the UCD hero at a packed Brandywell last night, the Republic of Ireland Under-21 keeper, ending Derry City's 100 per cent home record in this National League, Premier Division match.
Quigley not only saved a 47th minute penalty, but he pulled off a series of top drawer saves to also deny Derry leadership of the Premier Division.
Of course Pete Mahon's men also held Derry at Belfield and full credit to the team boss whose tactics worked well last night.
His opening 4-5-1 formation may have saw the game suffering as a spectacle, but Derry clearly struggled to get through that flooded midfield area, particularly in the opening half.
In a game which saw few scoring chances, Derry may have bossed the ball but the lively students were always very dangerous on the counter-attack.
And with their lone front man, Conor Sammon, producing an excellent performance when holding up the ball, Derry could take nothing for granted.
In the 18th minute a Paddy McCourt effort was deflected wide at the expense of a corner while Derry's Ciaran Martyn lashed a shot into the side netting when he really should have done better.
The best scoring chance of the opening half arrived in the 33rd minute and but for the brilliance of UCD keeper the home side would have broken the deadlock.
The Students failed to adequately clear a Kevin Deery corner and when the ball broke the unmarked Darren Kelly, the Derry defender's effort was superbly touched around his post by the UCD keeper.
Following the change of ends, Derry switched to a 4-3-3 formation and that ploy certainly changed the pattern of the game.
Indeed, Derry were awarded a penalty in the 47th minute when McCourt was upended by Conor Kenny but again Quigley burst to he fore when saving substitute, Stephen O'Flynn's spotkick.
In the 59th minute, Sammon controlled a punt forward before setting up Ronan Finn but he failed to get his shot on target.
Quigley saved again from O'Flynn following a Kevin Deery cross as Derry attempted to force the issue and Sean Hargan went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 69th minute, his shot narrowly wide.
DERRY CITY: Forde; McCallion (O'Flynn, half-time), Kelly, Oman Hargan; McCourt, Molloy, Martyn, Deery (McGlynn, 85 mins); Beckett, McHugh (Farren, 60 mins).
UCD: Quigley; Mahon, McNally, Shortall, Kenna; McWalter (Hurley, 52 mins.), Crowley, McDonnell, Finn, Doyle; Sammon.
Referee: R Winters (Wicklow).
