UCD - 1 St Patrick's Athletic - 0:Showing admirable desire, UCD finally got the reward their recent performances deserved with their first win of the season, though it failed to lift them off the bottom of the table.
Teenager Pat Sullivan was the Students' hero with the all-important goal on 61 minutes, just a minute after the game appeared to have turned St Patrick's way with the sending off of UCD defender Robert McAuley.
McAuley had been booked for a foul on Liam Kelly on 27 minutes and referee Hugh Byrne showed him a second yellow for his challenge on Ger McCarthy some 25 yards out.
But it proved a false dawn for an out-of-sorts St Patrick's Athletic as Barry Ryan dealt ably with Martin Russell's well-struck free kick before UCD broke away to hit their winner.
Tony McDonnell split the Saints defence with a promptly taken free-kick to left winger Sullivan, who controlled the ball well before drilling a shot from 14 yards past James Gallagher for only UCD's second goal in five games.
Missing the influence of the injured Paul Osam in midfield, and mystery surrounding Shay Kelly's absence in goal, St Patrick's were a mere shadow of the side that crushed Cork City at Richmond Park on Monday night.
UCD had made three changes, with Alan McNally returning to a five-man midfield and Robbie Doyle up front on his own.
Jittery at the back from the start, St Patrick's were almost punished for sloppy defending from the first corner of the match, taken by Doyle, on five minutes.
Tony Bird's poor clearance fell for McNally, who returned the ball into the area for McDonnell to get a touch and force replacement goalkeeper Gallagher into a smart save.
Doyle was then through on goal from a McAuley ball over the top four minutes later but his finish didn't match his guile in stealing through in the first place and his lob was straight at Gallagher.
Former youth international Gallagher, making his first start of the season, then showed his alertness when racing from his line to hack the ball into touch after it appeared John Martin was through from a delightful ball from McDonnell.
Not getting their first corner - after UCD had won four - until the 36th minute, St Patrick's only gradually got into the game but still failed to get one concrete effort on the UCD goal before the interval.
St Patrick's improved after the break but the pivotal minute mid-way through turned it UCD's way, with the visitors unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage.
Colm Foley almost snatched an equaliser on 87 minutes, but Ryan made a vital save at his near post as UCD then survived five minutes of stoppage time to hold out for a fully merited win.
UCD: B Ryan; Mahon, Delaney, McAuley, Davey; J Martin, McNally, McDonnell, Finn, Sullivan; Doyle. Sub: R Martin for Doyle (91 mins).
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Gallagher; Croly, Maguire, Foley, Burke; L.Kelly, Mannion, Russell; Mbabazi, McCarthy, Bird. Subs: Holt for Croly, Hughes for McCarthy (both 68 mins), McGuinness for Kelly (77 mins)
Referee: H Byrne (Dublin)
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