Premier Division leaders, St Patrick's Athletic, got out of jail at Richmond Park yesterday to keep alive their dream of double glory but not before being given the fright of their lives by UCD in an absorbing FAI Cup second round tie.
The students were unlucky not to at least force a replay after dominating for long periods of the second half. But they had only themselves to blame after Mick O'Byrne, Ciaran Kavanagh and Eoin Bennis squandered easy scoring chances.
Trevor Molloy's controversial winning goal direct from a corner in the 81st minute was rough justice on a college side who always played neat, attractive football.
Later, goalkeeper Barry Ryan claimed that he had been elbowed just before the ball entered the net from Molloy's corner. But Dublin referee, John McDermott, allowed the goal to stand.
"We didn't deserve to lose that game, we should have had at least a replay. But I was disappointed that with all our possession in the second half, we didn't take our scoring chances," said college coach, Theo Dunne.
St Patrick's boss, Liam Buckley, was relieved that his side scraped through to tonight's quarter-final draw after a below par performance.
"We were fortunate to get through this second round tie. The usual fluency was missing and the pitch didn't help. But we have always found UCD awkward opposition," said Buckley.
It was only a brave interception by the excellent Clive Delaney that prevented St Patrick's taking the lead on the half-hour. He was back to head a Molloy cross over his own bar under pressure from Paul Osam.
O'Beirne then linked up cleverly with Bennis only to see his shot from 17 yards go inches the wrong side of the upright.
Tony McDonnell then linked up with his attack and was agonisingly inches away from applying the vital final touch after neat approach work by Fitzpatrick and Bennis.
It was all one-way traffic in the second half. Ciaran Martyn, Kavanagh, Bennis and Alan Mahon all had chances as the students totally dominated.
St Patrick's' formidable midfield of Eddie Gormley, Martin Russell and Osam were forced to play second fiddle with Kavanagh completely dominating the midfield sector with his probing runs and skilful distribution.
UCD's best chance of sewing up the game came in 64 minutes following a long throw by Mahon. Kavanagh was allowed to sprint past the static St Patrick's defence but then shot tamely into the arms of Wood.
And it was the St Patrick's keeper who again came to his side's rescue when pushing a Bennis shot round the post after McLoughlin had created the opening.
It was heartbreak for UCD when Molloy grabbed that controversial late winner. If St Patrick's don't play well, as was the case yesterday, and still emerge triumphant, who is to say that their name is not on the cup.
St Patrick's Athletic: Wood; P Lynch, McGuinness, Hawkins; Croly, Gormley, Osam, Russell, Doyle; Molloy, Reilly. Sub: Braithwaite for Reilly (64 mins).
UCD: Ryan, McDonnell, Delaney, Lynch, Mahon; McLoughlin, Kavanagh, Martyn, Bennis; Fitzpatrick, O'Beirne. Sub: Kilmurray for Fitzpatrick (86 mins).
Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).
