FAI Cup Second round replay/UCD - 1 Cork City - 0: Cork City's season descended from the sublime to the ridiculous as they were put out of a cup for the second time inside four days.
Their Intertoto Cup odyssey having ended with defeat to French side FC Nantes at the weekend, Seán Finn's goal on 24 minutes put first division leaders UCD into the third round of the FAI Cup at Belfield last night.
Defeat in the league to Waterford United at Turner's Cross on Friday night - a match they were keen to have postponed - would leave Cork's season looking much less promising than it did a little over a week ago.
Despite three suspension-enforced changes, Cork started well and their accurate, crisp passing threatened briefly to blow the first division leaders away.
But College survived the early onslaught with efforts from Colin O'Brien and Joe Gamble missing the target and John O'Flynn shooting into the arms of Darren Quigley, to settle down well and take a 24th-minute lead with a terrific goal.
Finn had earlier shot over the Cork crossbar while Robbie Martin had a curling shot comfortably dealt with by Michael Devine.
But the Cork goalkeeper was beaten, despite getting a hand to the ball, after Martin set up Finn to drive home a stunning left-foot shot from 30 yards.
UCD's impressive teenage goalkeeper Darren Quigley made a crucial contribution with two superb tip over saves from Billy Woods and substitute Michael Nwankwo in stoppage time as College held out to claim a big win.
UCD: Quigley; Mahon, McNally, Kenna, McAuley; Sullivan, Finn (McWalter, 85 mins.), McDonnell, Davey; Doyle, Martin.
CORK CITY: Devine; Lordan, Bennett, Byrne (Behan, 84 mins.), Woods; Doyle, Gamble (Nwankwo, 75 mins.), O'Brien, Kearney; Fenn, O'Flynn.
Referee: I Stokes (Dublin).
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