SHAMROCK ROVERS stretched their unbeaten run to five games at the RDS yesterday when they took two chances at UCD's expense.
UCD did not take kindly to the surface and for the first quarter were clearly out of sorts. The game was just six minutes old when Rovers struck for their first goal when Karl Gannon broke down the right.
A rather innocuous ball into the box should have been cleared but the presence of John Toal unsettled the UCD rearguard sufficiently to allow Martin Reid to scoop the ball over the line from five yards out.
Eventually UCD began to get a better hold in midfield with the industrious Ciaran Cavanagh and creative Jason Colwell providing some openings for lone striker Mick O'Byrne who produced a good save from player manager Alan O'Neill midway through the first half.
O'Byrne was handed a similar chance just on half time when released by James Keddy, but again could not direct his shot on target.
Rovers were equally fortunate to survive a Packy Lynch corner shortly after the interval when the diminutive Cavanagh amazingly headed over, having stolen in between the defenders.
Rovers finally sealed the issue with 11 minutes to go when Sean Francis scored his first goal since August after pouncing on a backpass.
