Sport

Doherty piles the pressure on beleaguered students

UCD 0 Sligo Rovers 1:   MATT GREGG may appreciate the notion of football being a cruel game as he made a string of quality saves…

Sat Sept 20 2008 - 01:00

UCD 0 Sligo Rovers 1:  MATT GREGG may appreciate the notion of football being a cruel game as he made a string of quality saves, only for his one mistake to cost UCD the match.

With Finn Harps losing at leaders Bohemians, this was an opportunity missed by College to close the four-point gap in their battle to avoid relegation.

But Sligo were the better side, creating more of the chances.

UCD might have been in front within two minutes. Alan Mahon whipped over a superb free-kick from the right but Ian Bermingham's firm header went straight to goalkeeper Richard Brush.

READ MORE

Sligo probed with effort from the lively Rafael Cretaro and Seán Doherty before Brush was called in action again at the other end. Pat McWalter set up Mark Duggan whose fierce shot was only partially blocked by Gavin Peers, with Brush getting down well to save at the second attempt.

Brush then excelled with the save of the first half on 17 minutes when parrying away Duggan's low drive. The action would then centre around UCD goalkeeper Gregg's goal until the break.

He first had to show his agility, diving full length to push away Richie Ryan's 30-yard shot before he effectively gifted Sligo their winner on 27 minutes. The industrious Cretaro was barged to the ground by Gregg as he rose to head over the bar from Ryan's cross and Doherty fired the spot-kick low to the corner of the net.

Gregg redeemed himself somewhat with a good diving save to push Romu Boco's low shot out for a corner, while the Benin captain then shot over the bar from close range as the chances kept coming.

UCD had plenty of the ball in the second half but, save for a shot wide of the target from McWalter, they rarely threatened.

In the 66th minute Gregg had to make another good save after Boco worked a one-two with Doherty to shoot.

UCD:Gregg; Mahon, McNally, Kenna, Bermingham (Ward, 75 mins; Shortall, 84 mins); McWalter, Finn, McFaul, Duggan (King, 75 mins); Purcell, Meenan.

SLIGO ROVERS:Brush; Coleman, Peers, Ventre, Butler; Cash (McTiernan, 73 mins), O'Grady, Ryan, Doherty (McDaid, 75 mins); Boco, Cretaro (Curran, 68 mins).

Referee:D McKeon (Dublin).