There was nothing post-seasonally anti-climatic about this occasion as both UCD and St Pat's provided non-stop entertainment at Belfield yesterday. Despite two goals each and a hatful of shared chances the game was always there for the taking right up to the final whistle.
UCD came in with three wins on the trot, the most recent over league leaders Cork City, while St Patrick's were eager to get their first win in two attempts and keep the gap between themselves and Cork to a minimum. As it turned out, perhaps the greater loss was the champions', as Cork now extend their lead at the top to three points, while UCD at least extended their unbeaten record to six games.
Both sides started confidently, with Trevor Molloy applying some early pressure on the home defence, although that area was covered well by Ciaran Martyn and the towering Clive Delaney.
The patient opening soon turned into real scoring chances and after 18 minutes St Pat's were in front. Martin Russell sent in a swift pass from just inside his own half that allowed Molloy to run through the off-side trap, bypass goalkeeper Barry Ryan and slide the ball home.
The students responded by upping the tempo. Captain Aidan Lynch and Eamon McLoughlin were combining well at midfield to threaten Trevor Wood's goal and just after the half hour Mick O'Byrne sent a sweeping cross from the corner of the box to set up Tony McDonnell for the equaliser. Both Colin Hawkins and Patrick Lynch timed it all wrong giving McDonnell the easy job of blasting it home on the run in.
St Patrick's retook the lead early in the second half. Eddie Gormley sent in a powerful free five yards from touch which forced Ryan to make a ambitious punch that went straight to Hawkins, who simply headed it back over and into the net. That could have ended it but the students continued to put everything into a response and the second equaliser duly arrived. In fact, it came from the outstanding move of the game. Robert Dunne sent a cross-field ball to McDonell who in turn sent it in O'Byrne, who drilled home the equaliser past a confused St Patrick's defence.
UCD manager Theo Dunne has been talking a lot recently about his side's good run of form and, on the evidence of this match, it should continue into the new year at least. St Pat's, meanwhile, now have even more catching up to do if they are to retain the league title.
UCD: Ryan, McDonnell, Mahon, Lynch, Delaney, Martyn, Kavanagh, McLoughlin, O'Byrne, Fitzpatrick, Dunne. Sub: Bennis for Dunne (77 mins).
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Wood, McGuinness, Lynch, Hawkins, Crolly, Gormley, Osam, Russell, Doyle, Molloy, Gilzean. Sub: Reilly for Gilzean (59 mins).
Referee: J Feighery (Dublin)
