UCD 2 Derry City 3:THE MOUNDS of earth down one side of UCD's new home last night provide a reminder that the Belfield Bowl is still a work in progress and, as everyone knows, this is a club where the process of team building simply never ends
By nearly pulling off a spirited fightback, though, in a game they looked set at one stage to lose badly, Pete Mahon's young side suggested that, however short the odds on them being relegated are, they won't be easily pushed about on their turf this year.
And despite the Peter Hutton goal two minutes from time that earned his side victory, there was evidence too that Stephen Kenny still has to put some significant finishing touches to his reconstruction of this Derry City side if they are to be restored to their former status as serious title contenders.
Still, given how unpredictable first outings can be, Kenny will have been pleased simply to get off to a winning start. For periods they played well, and if there is bound to be a little reflection around the Brandywell next week on how they blew a two-goal lead in 15 minutes either side of the break, there will be satisfaction too that there was the character to regroup and calmly pursue the win until the dying minutes.
The students started nervously and had to defend from early on - something they didn't do too well.
The City midfield quickly settled into a stride the young locals struggled to disrupt, and while Pat McCourt never did the damage he might have over the first half, solid approach work by the likes of Ruairdhí Higgins and Barry Molloy suggested that home goalkeeper Matt Gregg was going to have a bit of work to do.
As it turned out, his first real task was to pick the ball out of his net just over 20 minutes in. City had already had a few cracks at goal by then but none had hit the target. Then McCourt was fouled by Conor Kenna and Higgins stepped up to curl the free over the wall and into the top right corner.
When the home side conceded a soft second within three minutes - Steven Gray's low cross somehow slipped by Gregg and three defenders for Mark Farren to turn home - it seemed, to delight of the travelling support, that they might be on course for an convincing opening night success.
City did go close to a third with Alan Mahon taking Clive Delaney's header off the line.
But the home side then began to turn things around with the back four steadying themselves and the midfield finally starting to afford them some protection by winning a bit of possession.
Eight minutes before the break they halved the deficit when Paul Byrne got between Eddie McCallion and Delaney to meet Brian King's cross with a wonderfully judged header that flew beyond the stranded Darren Quigley.
The goal was still slightly against the run of play, but it dented Derry's momentum, and their lead might have gone too a few moments later when Delaney, outstanding over the first half hour, handled in the box, only for the referee to give him the benefit of the doubt on the question of intent.
Derry held on to their slim advantage until half-time, but the Dubliners no longer looked in awe of their opponents as the second period got under way. Within seven minutes of the restart they had deservedly drawn level.
This time it was City who defended poorly, only half-clearing a corner from the left. Conor Kenna scurried out of the six-yard box and, unchallenged, hit a shot on the turn that appeared to clip Byrne's shoulder and loop over Quigley into the net.
UCD had a couple of chances after that to win the game. The best fell to Timmy Purcell whose 20-yard strike forced Quigley into the best save of the night.
The goal eluded them, however, and Hutton's close-range strike at the other end provided a cruel ending to a hard first night back.
UCD: Gregg; Mahon, Shorthall, Kenna, Bermingham; Finn, McNally, King, McWalter; Purcell (Forsythe, 73 mins), Byrne.
DERRY CITY: Quigley: McCallion, Delaney, Hutton, Gray; McGlynn (Morrison, 68 mins), Molloy (Martyn, 77 mins), Higgins, McCourt; Sammon, Farren (McHugh, 80 mins).
Referee: M Gough (Limerick).
