UCD 4 BRAY WANDERERS 0 INSPIRED BY a brilliant second half hat-trick from striker Ciarán Kilduff, UCD ended a four-match run of defeats with a deserved victory over bottom-of-the-table Bray Wanderers at the Belfield Bowl.
Bray should have taken the lead on 35 minutes when a David Webster cross from the left caused panic in the home defence. But striker Shane O’Neill failed to get in the header with the ball rolling inches past the upright.
The Students eventually got their noses in front on 51 minutes when a long-range effort from Paul O’Connor was pushed onto the bar by goalkeeper Brian Kane. The ball rebounded perfectly for Kilduff to head home.
Kilduff stretched the lead three minutes later when a David McMillan cross from the right was spilled by Kane and the big striker fired home from close range.
It was one way traffic in the direction of the visitors’ goal and a clever ball from midfield by Robbie Creevy allowed Kilduff to sprint clear of the Bray defence and slot in his third on 71 minutes.
The Students piled on further agony when five minutes later a Wilson cross from the right enabled Kilduff to exchange passes with substitute Greg Bolger and rifle home from eight yards.
There was drama in the last minute when Bolger and Bray midfielder Chris Shields were shown red cards by Clare referee Pádraig Sutton after a midfield flare-up.
UCD:Barron; Kelly (Matthews 65), Boyle, E.McMillan, Nangle; Creevy (Bolger 74), P.O'Connor, Ward; Wilson, (Corry 85) Kilduff, Rusk.
BRAY WANDERERS:Kane; S O'Connor, Prendergast, Webster (Kavanagh 77), Massey; O'Neill (D Doyle 82), Shields, D O'Connor, Kelly; R Doyle (Tuohy 77), Mulcahy.
Referee:Pádraig Sutton (Clare).
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