AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION UCD 0 Derry City 2:DERRY CITY picked up their first points of the season when an early goal from winger Gareth McGlynn set them on the path to victory in a tense encounter at the Belfield Bowl.
A brilliant effort from Daniel Lafferty made certain of the three points on 87 minutes despite a spirited second half by the Students who will feel they deserved at least a share of the spoils.
Stephen Kenny’s side had their noses in front after just six minutes when a powerful header out of defence by Shane McEleney was picked up by his brother, Patrick, who supplied a perfect reverse ball for McGlynn to fire home with his left foot from 14 yards.
Both teams tried to play entertaining, attacking and passing football on a pitch that looked the worse for wear after the ground had been shared by College’s rugby team in recent weeks. It proved a difficult assignment.
The Students missed a glorious opportunity to draw level on 33 minutes when a perfect cross from deep on the right by defender Seán Harding was headed inches wide from close range by striker Graham Rusk.
Derry went close early in the second half when Patrick McEleney laid on a perfect ball for Eamon Zayed. The Libyan international let fly from the edge of the box only to see his effort brilliantly pushed over by Ger Barron.
UCD: Barron; Harding, Leahy, Haro, Nangle; O'Conor, Creevy, Corry, Marshall (Meenan, 74 mins); Rusk, Morrisson (Benson, 66 mins).
DERRY CITY: Doherty; McCallion, Greacen, S McEleney, Lafferty; McGlynn, Harkin, Molloy, McLaughlin, P McEleney (McDaid, 88 mins), Zayed.
Referee: G Kelly(Cork).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)