ROBBIE TO THE RESCUE
UCD 1 Limerick 1
ROBBIE Benson came to the rescue in the Belfield Bowl last night, as his 59th minute goal cancelled out an early Shane Tracy strike for Limerick.
Stuart Taylor’s side had taken the lead with just over three minutes gone on the clock, when Tracy powerfully dispatched a 30 yard shot into the bottom corner of Conor O’Donnell’s net.
Dealt
This was certainly a set-back for the hosts – who had displayed improved form in recent weeks – and although Students left-back Mark Langtry opened up the play with a mazy run from the wing, front man David McMillan’s tame final effort was comfortably dealt with by Limerick custodian Shane Cusack.
As the half progressed, the play became a lot more static, but with O’Leary and Stephen Bradley impressing in the middle they made life difficult for the hosts.
The half ended with the Treaty side a goal up; but that lead only lasted 14-minutes in to the second-half.
In fact, just before the equaliser, Limerick could have doubled their advantage only for Bradley to fire inches wide.
Seconds later, Benson was on hand to finish clinically from 12 yards just shy of the hour mark after UCD had developed a fine move down the right-hand side.
This set the game up for a compelling finale, but a lot of momentum was taken out of the game when the play was halted following a late challenge by UCD attacker Dean Clarke on Limerick skipper Brian O’Callaghan.
The former Barnsley centre-back had to depart the scenes as a result of the injury he picked up from this incident.
UCD: O’Donnell 8; Boyle 6 (Burke 46, 6), Matthews 7, O’Connor 7, Langtry 7; Clarke 7, Kavanagh 7, Creevy 6 (Crowe 32, 6), Russell 6; Benson 8; McMillan 7. Subs not used: McGinley, Coyne, Corcoran, Morrison, O’Halloran.
LIMERICK FC: Cusack 8; Kelly 7 (Costello 49, 6), Folan 7, O’Callaghan 7 (Purcell 64, 6), Tracy 8; Feeney 7, Bradley 7, O’Leary 7 (Judge 78, 5); Galbrath 7, Curran 7, Bossekota 7. Subs not used: Walsh, Gaffney, Rainsford, Nzuzi.
REFEREE: Derek Tomney (Dublin).
WEATHER: Warm And Sunny.
ENTERTAINMENT: Enjoyable.