St Patrick's Athletic 3 UCD 2: St Patrick's Athletic made it two home wins in succession with this defeat of UCD at Richmond Park last night.

A strike by Keith Dunne, sandwiched by two Gerard Rowe efforts, ensured the three points. Rowe was the principle reason for their victory with the striker, who is on loan from Shelbourne, putting in a display of creativity and clinical finishing.

St Pat's were 3-0 up after 31 minutes. Rowe set the ball rolling in the 13th minute when a powerful downward header from a Keith Fahey free-kick beat Darren Quigley on his near post. He turned creator in the 22nd minute when his powerful shot was parried by Quigley into the path of Dunne who finished from a tight angle.

Rowe continued to take centre stage; putting Dunne through, only for Quigley to save well, and setting up Robbie Doyle who saw his powerful shot rebound to safety off the post before grabbing a game clinching third in the 31st minute. Once again, the intervention of Quigley was to prove crucial as he did well to intercept an Aiden O'Keeffe pass that was intended for Dunne only for the ball to drop to Rowe who rifled the ball home from 18-yards.

UCD's Damien Dupuy and Patrick McWalter were guilty of missing free headers and Barry Prenderville was also forced to clear off the line after Dupuy had beaten goalkeeper Barry Ryan to a hopeful punt up field.

In the second half, as St Pat's eased off, UCD did come more into the game with Alan McNally pulling one back with a close range header in the 75th minute before substitute Paul Byrne scored with his first touch with a long-range effort.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Ryan; Prenderville, Maguire, C Foley, Donnelly; O'Keeffe (M Foley 85 mins), Fahey, Caffrey, Dunne; Rowe, Doyle (Holt 90 mins).

UCD: Quigley; Mahon, McNally, McDonnell, O'Donnell (Adrian Murphy 85 mins); Kierans (Kenna half time), Hurley, Anto Murphy, McWalter; Dupuy (Byrne 83 mins), Martin.

Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).