A late burst enabled UCD to retain the Gerry Lyons Memorial Trophy when they defeated Leinster club finalists Eire Og, at Pairc Ui Bhriain, Carlow, yesterday. Eire Og used the match as part of their build-up towards the January 31st Leinster Club final second replay against Kilmacud Crokes of Dublin. Eire Og led 0-7 to 0-5 at halftime, but the lead switched hands on a few occasions in the second half.
Eire Og looked to have snatched victory when substitute JJ Eyre claimed a goal just at the end of normal time to put his side 2-8 to 110 in front.
But UCD finished strongly to record 2-2 in the final minutes, the last goal coming from Carlow's Derek O'Donoghue.
UCD: G McGill (Kildare); N Maguire (Sligo), I Clarke (Dublin), P Andrews (Dublin); D Breen (Wexford), J Divilly (Galway), R O'Donovan (Wicklow); C Kelly (Dublin) 0-1, D Hannify (Longford) 0-1; D Meehan (Galway) 1-2, C McGrath (Meath) 0-2, D Courtney (Cavan) 0-2; N Meehan (Galway) 0-2, D O'Donoghue (Carlow) 1-0, P Walsh (Mayo) 1-2.
Eire Og: J Kearns; B Hayden, A Corcoran, J Dooley; J Murphy 0-2, P Doyle, A Callinan; J Morrissey 0-2, H Brennan; B Carbery 0-1, G Ware, K Haughney 0-1; J Hayden 0-1, L Turley 0-1, A Keating 0-1. Subs: W Quinlan 1-0 for J Hayden, JJ Eyre 1-0 for Keating.
Referee: T Howard (Kildare).
