Hot-shot Mooney doubles up again

UCD 0-2 CORK CITY: A SUPERBLY taken brace from in-form Dave Mooney gave Cork their fourth win in five games to move them up to third in the table.

It was Mooney's third double on the spin in the league and brought his tally to 11 for the season.

The result was hard on a weary-looking UCD, playing their third game in six days, but ultimately they had no answer to Cork's slick passing game.

Cork carved UCD open for the first time on 23 minutes; John O'Flynn beginning the move, feeding Joe Gamble who found Mooney free on the left side of the box. The cross picked out the run of Darren Murphy at the back post but his shot was deflected out for Cork's fifth corner of the game.

Cork continued to knock the ball around superbly and there was little UCD could do to prevent their opening goal on 44 minutes.

Dan Murray began a counterattack with referee Neil Doyle playing a good advantage in allowing the Cork captain get his pass away despite having his shirt being tugged.

That pass found Gamble who threaded the ball through to Mooney down the inside left channel. His positional sense superb, Mooney's finish was sublime as he delightfully curled a right-footer into the far corner of the net across Matt Gregg for his 10th league goal of the season.

Danny Murphy brought a tip-over save from Gregg while Murray headed wide before Cork doubled their advantage on 57 minutes. Murphy put over an inviting cross from the right and Mooney's instincts were alive to the delivery as he dived to head past Gregg for his second brilliant goal of the night.

UCD:Gregg; Mahon, Kenna, Shortall, Bermingham; Finn, King (Bolger, 67 mins), McNally, Doyle; Purcell (Fitzgerald, 67 mins), McWalter (Reilly, 85 mins).

CORK CITY:Devine; Horgan, Sullivan, Murray, Danny Murphy; Darren Murphy (O'Callaghan, 79 mins), Healy, Gamble, Kearney (Meyler, 91 mins); Mooney (Behan, 88 mins.), OFlynn.

Referee:Neil Doyle (Dublin).