A THIRD successive win lifted UCD to second place in the Premier Division - a position they've held just once before in their League of Ireland history some 12 years ago - as a Darren O'Brien goal was enough to beat Home Farm/Everton at Whitehall on Saturday night and leave Dermot Keely's side still without a win at the foot of the table.

In a dour game of precious few goalmouth incidents, the 57th minute goal brought some much needed excitement to a surprisingly poor spectacle of a match. A sweeping move down the left involving Ciaran kavanagh and Michael O'Donnell resulted in Declan Fitzgerald crossing a fine ball into the Home Farm box. Robert Griffin got the slightest of flicks with his head to set up the unmarked O'Brien who beat Brian O'Shea with a volley from 10 yards.

That was UCD's only real chance in the match, and though Home Farm had a few more than that, they wasted anything they got. Their best opening came seven minutes before the interval when Chris Lawless played Liam Kelly in behind the UCD defence but Seamus Kelly bravely smothered the ball at the striker's feet.

John Byrne had a couple of half hearted long range efforts which scarcely troubled Kelly early in second half, but otherwise Home Farm never seriously threaten the UCD goal again as the students' better football deservedly earned them the three points.