Late Langtry and O’Connor goals elevate in-form Students to second spot
UCD……………………………………… 3
ATHLONE TOWN……………………… 1
Daire Walsh
Airtricity League First Division
Late goals from Mark Langtry and Daire O’Connor proved to be the difference between the teams in Belfield last night as UCD moved up to second-place in the First Division with a hard-earned victory over 10-man Athlone Town.
The Students were hoping to register their fifth consecutive league triumph and Athlone netminder Paddy Duncan produced an acrobatic stop to turn away an eye-catching Robbie Benson effort on 26 minutes.
However, the hosts received a massive blow just three minutes later when Sam O’Connor fired past Niall Corbet in clinical fashion after Stephen Dunne had nodded on Thomas Mulroney’s corner from the right-hand side.
This was a shock to the system for UCD and the compact Athlone defence continued to frustrate Collie O’Neill’s charges in the early stages of the second-half.
Yet, the feet of the impressive Dunican denied Watson in spectacular fashion on 65 minutes and, from the resulting corner, UCD forced their way back into the reckoning.
After handling Boyle’s powerful header, Mulroney was issued with a straight red-card, and from the subsequent spot-kick, the ice-cool Gary O’Neill made no mistake.
In spite of their numerical disadavantage, Athlone performed admirably during the closing stages, but when Mark Langtry’s 87th-minute finish was followed by a terrific individual strike from substitute Daire O’Connor in stoppage-time, UCD’s win was eventually secured.
UCD: Corbet; Langtry, Leahy, Boyle, McLaughlin; Watson (O’Connor 65), Benson, O’Neill, Mulhall; Cannon (Watts 81); Swan.
ATHLONE TOWN: Dunican; Friel, Dunne, Collins, O’Donnell (O’Sullivan 79); O’Neill, Mulroney, Boyne, Fletcher; Kelly (Molloy 53), O’Connor.
Referee: S Grant (Wexford).