Eircom League Premier Division / UCD 0-1 St Patrick's Athletic: A brilliant solo goal from winger Seán O'Connor got St Patrick's Athletic's season up and running to warm the cockles of the bulk of the Belfield crowd on a bitterly cold night and, somewhat appropriately, given the day that was in it, put them top of the Premier Division table - until tonight at least.
O'Connor had scored St Patrick's last goal of the 2005 season - the 22-year-old's first for the club - in a 3-1 home defeat to Longford Town, and he'll scarcely score a better one this year than the strike that finally brought this game to life on 62 minutes.
It wasn't as if UCD goalkeeper Darren Quigley hadn't been warned of O'Connor's right foot, as he'd had his hands warmed by the number seven a minute earlier. But, in truth, there was little the college custodian could do about O'Connor's slalom in from the left and the stunning shot from over 25 yards that sailed into the top right corner of the goal for a truly terrific winner.
Chastened by their failure to beat Waterford United last week - when they dominated the match, had two goals disallowed and missed a penalty - St Patrick's were positive from the start, taking the game to UCD.
Two early efforts flew over the bar, the first a shot from O'Connor from Trevor Molloy's cross, before Michael Foley, the smallest man on the pitch, got in between the college defenders to head off target from Stephen Quigley's cross from the right.
UCD continued to struggle to deal with deliveries into their area and Molloy was given a free header from Foley's free-kick on 23 minutes with the home defence again relieved St Patrick's once more failed to find the target.
A well organised St Patrick's remained in command, with the UCD goal having another let-off on 35 minutes when Quigley blocked a Mark Rutherford shot after Molloy's corner wasn't cleared and Foley blazed a follow up shot over the bar.
Having scarcely threatened the St Patrick's goal in the first half, UCD needed less then 90 seconds of the second to open up the defence with Conan Byrne racing on to a long ball over the top to bring the first save out of Barry Ryan. But St Patrick's retained their grip on the game.
UCD: Quigley; Mahon, Kenna, McNally, Ryan; Hurley (Matthews, 72 mins), Cawley, Dicker, McWalter; Quinn (Sammon, 77 mins), C Byrne.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Ryan; S. Quigley, Maguire, Caffrey (Perth, 38 mins), Frost; Rutherford, Brennan, M Foley, O'Connor; Molloy (M Quigley, 75 mins), Keegan.
Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).
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