UCD ... 1 Cork City ... 0: What a week it has been for Tony McDonnell. Scorer of the equaliser against St Patrick's Athletic on Monday night to earn UCD a vital point, the big midfielder struck again at Belfield Park last night against Cork City with another priceless goal.
This time his strike proved decisive and sees the students off the bottom of the table.
A game that was going nowhere for the first 70 minutes suddenly sparked into life as UCD grabbed a crucial win, only their third of the season, as they bid to avoid the drop.
The winner in the 71st minute came when Alan Cawley swung in a free-kick for McDonnell whose flicked header sailed into an empty net as Cork goalkeeper Michael Divine came charging off his line.
And less than 60 seconds later it should have been two as Sean Finn was inches wide with a header from Robert Doyle's cross.
In fact UCD should really have been ahead before McDonnell's goal as Clive Delaney had headed just over on the hour mark.
UCD: B Ryan, Sullivan, D Ryan, McAuley, Delaney, McNally, J Martin, McDonnell, Cawley, Doyle, Finn. Sub: O'Donnell for J Martin (85 mins).
CORK CITY: Devine, O'Halloran, Horgan, Daly, Murray, Reynolds, Mulconry, Bennett, O'Flynn, O'Callaghan , Woods. Subs: C P O'Brien for Bennett (73 mins); C T O'Brien for Mulconry (82 mins); Warren for Woods (87 mins).
Referee: Declan Hanney (Dublin)
