Another frustrating night at Tolka Park for last year's title hopefuls ended with UCD putting another dent in Shelbourne's hopes of catching this year's real contenders. In addition, Alan Gough's late dismissal added to an already terrible disciplinary record.
Shelbourne looked, at first, like they might win this one quite easily. The students hadn't scored on the road before last night and, for the first 15 minutes, they did precious little at the back to indicate that they were capable of keeping what would have been only their second clean sheet away from Belfield.
Stephen Geoghegan, Dessie Baker and Tony Sheridan all lurked ominously around the area early on but none seemed able to hit the target when the chance to shoot came their way. Then, remarkably, completely against the run of play, a spectacular mixup in the home side's defence turned the game on its head.
Graham Doyle, who pushed the ball straight into Ciaran Kavanagh's path, was the main villain of the piece but there were plenty of others in prominent supporting roles. The UCD midfielder did his part flawlessly, though, carrying the ball some 50 yards before skipping past Alan Gough's challenge to sidefoot into an empty goal.
It could have been two a few minutes later when Eoin Bennis started a fine passing move that he might have finished had Glenn Fitzpatrick's final pass been better weighted. Shelbourne survived the scare, however, and while they hardly looked secure between then and half-time, they certainly had more of the play.
Greg Costello arrived for the second half and the improvement at the back for the home team was immediate. Steadily Dermot Keely's side regained the sort of superiority they had enjoyed early on. After Eoin Heery's drilled shot had run cruelly out of Barry Ryan's grasp for Stephen Geoghegan to equalise, a winner looked inevitable. Not for the first time this season, however, Shelbourne failed to make a commanding advantage tell.
Gradually they lost their way against a side short on composure at the back but full of spirit when the opportunity to attack presented itself. Bennis continued to pose the greatest threat down the left but when Ciaran Martyn was put clear with a chip over the back four, Alan Gough handled a long way outside his area in order to stop the midfielder's shot from reaching the goal.
For that he became Shelbourne's sixth player in seven games to be sent off and through the remaining six minutes or so, his side were fortunate to hang on for the draw. Ken Kilmurray almost grabbed a winner from the free kick that followed the red card.
Shelbourne: Gough; Heery, Scully, Maher, D Geoghegan; D Baker, Fenlon, Heery, Rutherford; Sheridan, S Geoghegan. Subs: Costello for Maher (half-time), Fitzgerald for Doyle (67 mins), O'Leary for Rutherford (84 mins).
UCD: Ryan; Mahon, Delaney, Lynch, Brett; McLaughlin, Martyn, Kavanagh, Bennis; Fitzpatrick, O'Byrne. Subs: Kilmurray for Fitzpatrick (half-time), Martin for McLaughlin (62 mins).
Referee: D O'Hanlon (Waterford).
