AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION St Patrick's Ath 1 UCD 1:GRAHAM RUSK scored a stoppage time equaliser to earn UCD a point as St Patrick's slow start to the season continued.

Trailing to Anto Murphy’s first- half opener, UCD battled away throughout the second half. And though they lived dangerously at times, with St Patrick’s missing chances, College got their reward four minutes into stoppage time when Rusk collected Darren Meenan’s pass to shoot home off a post.

With three changes to his starting 11, Pete Mahon’s St Patrick’s started well, putting UCD under pressure early on. But home frustration mounted as the half wore on as they had a goal disallowed and then appeals for what looked a clear penalty waved away just past the half-hour mark.

First Ian Daly had the ball in the net when lobbing goalkeeper Ger Barron from Derek Doyle’s flick, but he was flagged for offside.

Referee Paul Tuite then failed to notice a handball by defender Paul O’Connor which deflected away Doyle’s goalbound shot.

The UCD goal had another let off when Shane McFaul shot wide from the edge of the area after good work down the flank by left-back Ian Bermingham, before the home side’s pressure told a minute before half-time.

Danny North outfoxed Ciarán Nangle on the end line to cross. Daly helped the ball on for Murphy to shoot past Barron from close range.

UCD wasted a gilt-edged chance to level on 58 minutes. Mark Langtry miscued his header from a Paul O’Connor cross and Dean Marshall then miskicked on the edge of the area after the ball dropped kindly in front of him.

Daly was then guilty of an equally bad miss at the other end on 66 minutes. O’Connor’s weak back header dropped for the St Patrick’s striker but he lobbed over Barron and over the bar.

St Patrick’s needed two good late stops from ’keeper Gary Rogers from David O’Connor and Samir Belhout. North then had two chances before Rusk struck to steal a point.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers: Pender, E McMillan, Shortall, Bermingham; Murphy (Kavanagh, 90+2 mins), McFaul, Mulcahy (Crowley, 59 mins), Doyle; North, Daly (D McMillan, 77 mins).

UCD: Barron; P O'Conor, Leahy, D O'Connor, Nangle; Meenan, Creevy, Corry (Ledwith, 67 mins), Marshall (Benson, 78 mins), Langtry (Belhout, 67 mins); Rusk.

Referee: P Tuite(Dublin).