UCD keep survival hopes alive

UCD ... 1 Derry City ... 0UCD's Robert Doyle scored the only goal of the game as he made the two most notable contributions against Derry City at Belfield Park last night. Doyle went from hero to villain in the opening quarter of an hour, scoring what turned out to be the winner on five minutes but was sent off after 13 minutes.

Despite having an extra man Derry couldn't recover, although in the second half Peter Hutton was denied by UCD goalkeeper Barry Ryan while Kieran Martyn had a header cleared off the line by Clive Delaney as UCD held on for three points in their bid to avoid relegation.

The home side couldn't have asked for a better start. With only five minutes gone Alan Cawley's deflected shot fell into the path of Robbie Martin, who in turn saw his effort handled by Derry City full back Kevin Deery. From the resulting penalty Doyle showed great composure to send goalkeeper Alan Gough the wrong way.

However, that wasn't to be Doyle's only significant contribution to the match. Eight minutes later he was heading for an early shower having had his involvement terminated by referee Paul McKeon. The Dublin official had already blown for a free-kick on the far touch line, but Doyle became involved in an off-the-ball incident with Derry's Seán Friars and was duly red carded by McKeon.

Yet if UCD thought the loss of a man would signal a period of sustained pressure they were mistaken. In fact it was the hosts who continued to look the more threatening. On the half hour mark the students had a great chance to double their advantage as Robbie Martin and Cawley linked well to carve open the Derry rearguard, but Martin's shot was just inches wide.

Derry made no use of their numerical advantage prior to the interval, with their only effort of note a 40th-minute long-range shot from Eamon Doherty, which never threatened Ryan in the UCD goal.

UCD: B Ryan, Sullivan, D Ryan, McAuley, Delaney, McNally, J Martin, McDonnell, Cawley, Doyle, R Martin. Subs: Gallen for Robert Martin (75 mins), O'Donnell for McAuley (75 mins), Purdey for McDonnell (82 mins).

DERRY CITY: Gough, E McCallion, Hargan, Hutton, McLoughlin, Doherty, Deery, Martyn, Coyle, T McCallion, Friars, Subs: McCready for Friars (h-t), McGlynn for Doherty (56 mins), Hughes for T McCallion (69 mins).

Referee: Paul McKeon (Dublin)