UCD 0

Cork City 1

Dave Donnelly reports from The Belfield Bowl

CIAN BARGARY’S FIRST goal in senior football sealed a smash-and-grab win for Cork City and condemned UCD to an eighth straight league defeat.

City were comfortably second best for the majority of the game, but they defended stoutly and took their chance when it mattered to seal a third win in four.

There seemed to be relatively little danger when Karl Sheppard sent a looping header goalwards from Gary Boylan’s cross, but Conor Kearns was forced to tip it onto the bar.

The loose ball sat up perfectly for the 18-year-old, who showed the greater desire to bundle the ball, and defender Josh Collins, over the line.

The Students had only themselves to blame for putting themselves in that position, having squandered a hatful of chance in a game they controlled throughout.

Garry Buckley missed a good chance for Cork early on when he headed softly at Kearns, and UCD worked their way into the game.

They didn’t look like a side who had been kept scoreless in their previous five games as they probed confidently for openings in the Cork backline, though their finishing still lacked accuracy.

Richie O’Farrell volleyed over and Conor Davis shot tamely at Mark McNulty after doing brilliantly to work space for a shot in the box.

McNulty’s slip provided Sean McDonald with a chance to put UCD in front but, after the player dawdled, the ‘keeper did wonderfully to get back and save at full stretch.

Paul Doyle and Gary O’Neill both failed to hit the target as the Students continued to boss it, although City started the second half brightly with Daire O’Connor heading wide.

Neil Farrugia — in front of the watching Ireland under-21 boss Stephen Kenny — had opposite number Gary Boylan on toast throughout and his teammates should have profited.

Farrugia’s nutmeg on Boylan and fizzing low cross should have been turned in, while he was unlucky not to win a penalty when he tripped over a loose limb following another mazy run.

Daire O’Connor evaded a few hacks of his own from his former teammates as he broke to set up James Tilley, but the striker curled his shot over.

Another brilliant run from Farrugia and an inviting cross was just too high for Davis, and there was little surprise when the Students’ profligacy came back to haunt them.

Sub Bargary headed home with 18 minutes to go and, though Jason McClelland flashed a shot over, it was City who’d go closest to scoring, but Kevin O’Connor was denied by Kearns.

UCD: Conor Kearns; Evan Farrell, Josh Collins, Liam Scales; Gary O’Neill, Paul Doyle (Danu Bishop 90), Richie O’Farrell, Neil Farrugia; Conor Davis (Yoyo Mahdy 82), Sean McDonald, Jason McClelland.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Gary Boylan, Sean McLoughlin, Conor McCarthy, Garry Comerford; Conor McCormack, Kevin O’Connor, Garry Buckley; James Tilley, Daire O’Connor (Cian Bargery 66), Karl Sheppard (Graham Cummins 90+5).

Referee: Iwan Griffith (Wales).

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