Na Fianna 1-10 UCD 1-09: Na Fianna progressed from the opening round of the Dublin football championship by the skin of their teeth last night.
Strange, considering they were in such dominant form for the first half hour when they built up what appeared an unassailable lead.
It took a late Frank Molloy point, coupled with poor UCD shooting down the stretch, to deny the students a major scalp.
This meeting provided plenty of fuel for those wishing to curb the outside influence in Dublin football. For the new television deal it was an ideal pairing littered with primetime inter-county names from all over the island.
Despite plenty of old-timers swelling the ranks, Na Fianna played with a youthful spring to notch up a five-point lead before Jason Sherlock seemed to kill off the game before the break with a smartly taken goal.
With a defence, in particular, sprinkled with intercounty talent UCD were expected to stay the pace in the first half.
However, they failed to handle the early promptings of Senan Connell, who kicked two neat points, while former Mayo All Star Kevin O'Neill punished any indiscretion inside the 40.
Amid all the elite players was Na Fianna local lad Brian Courtney. He still lacks the meat to make a serious impact at this level but was a lively influence throughout.
Despite wearing number eight, Kieran McGeeney lined out in his usual centre-back slot with Karl Donnelly in midfield.
Apart from a crucial block on John Sherry when things got hairy late on, the Armagh captain's influence was minimal, but it was not required until the threatened collapse at the finish.
Initially, UCD failed to generate any forward momentum, taking a quarter of an hour before opening their account through Offaly sharpshooter Niall McNamee.
Meathman Mark Ward added another soon after but any revival was quelled by the Sherlock goal.
Yet, remarkably, Na Fianna opened the door once more.
McNamee and William Minchin pointed again before Ward drew the sides level.
Molloy's point saved Na Fianna although the tension continued right to the end as Wicklow's Paul Earls came off the bench to hit an agonising wide in injury time.
NA FIANNA: S Grey; E McNulty, A Downes, E Ledwith; S McGlinchey, K McGeeney, S Cloherty; R Clerkin, K Donnelly; S Connell (0-2), M Colleran, F Molloy (0-2); B Courtney, K O'Neill (0-6, 5f), J Sherlock (1-0). Subs: N Cooper for Cloherty (41 mins), D Lynch for Colleran (56 mins).
UCD: S Gallagher; B Mulligan, C Evans, J McCarthy; B Ó hAnnaidh, J Donoghue, D Ó hAnnaidh; M Ward (0-2), J Sherry; J Hanley, L Ó Siocháin, C Rogers; N McNamee (0-4, 2f), JP Casey (0-2, 2f), W Minchin (1-1). Subs: G Collins for Donoghue (6 mins), D McGlade for B Ó hAnnaidh (15 mins), P Earls for Casey (55 mins).
Referee: G Barrett (Clann Mhuire).
