UCD signal intent to stay around as Sporting fail to fire

SOCCER AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION: UCD 0 Sporting Fingal 0:IT MAY have been the fourth successive league game in which they've failed to score, but in preventing Sporting from regaining the leadership of the Premier Division table UCD signalled their competence and desire to remain in the top flight.

Indeed, in a game full of chances, Martin Russell’s side might have won it with perhaps the chance of the night five minutes from time.

Substitute Dwayne Wilson set up Chris Mulhall some 16 yards out, but the striker got under his shot to fire it over the top.

Matching Sporting’s 4-3-3 system, UCD, with Greg Bolger particularly influential, shaded the midfield battle in the first half and might have been in front on eight minutes.

A Paul Corry corner picked out skipper Evan McMillan, but the close-range header lacked direction as it flew straight to goalkeeper Darren Quigley.

Gary O’Neill responded for Sporting, his shot deflected for their first corner minutes later.Then Ronan Finn, who captained UCD to promotion last season, drilled wide when College failed to clear Conan Byrne’s delivery.

Allowed to pass it, UCD opened up Sporting on 21 minutes with Mulhall putting David McMillan in on goal. Quigley rushed off his line to save with his feet on the edge of his box. Mulhall and Ciarán Kilduff then had promising openings as UCD remained the better side.

Sporting countered well, though, with right-back Ger O’Brien getting forward to rob David McMillan and bring Billy Brennan’s first save just past the half hour.

Though there was more purpose to Sporting after the break it was UCD who should have been in front on 53 minutes when Brian Shortall’s marauding run lacked a finish as he blazed over the bar when in on goal.

Sporting’s O’Neill headed over from Finn’s cross while Eamonn Zayed fired wide as the action zipped from end to end. The ball was in the UCD net on 80 minutes, but the flag had been raised as O’Neill flicked home Shaun Maher’s lob.

UCD:Brennan; Shortall, Boyle, E McMillan, Nangle; McMahon (Rusk, 90 mins), Bolger, Corry; Kilduff (Rusk, 83 mins) Mulhall, D McMillan (Wilson, 77 mins).

SPORTING FINGAL:Quigley; O'Brien, Maher, Browne, Fitzgerald; Finn, McFaul, Kirby (Williams, 83 mins); Byrne, O'Neill, Zayed (Crowe, 60 mins).

Referee:Derek Tomney (Dublin).