Sport

Corry's late winner leaves Shelbourne stunned

Shelbourne 1 UCD 2: PAUL CORRY scored his first goal of the season to give UCD a smash ’n’ grab win at Tolka Park.

Sat Aug 11 2012 - 01:00

Shelbourne 1 UCD 2:PAUL CORRY scored his first goal of the season to give UCD a smash 'n' grab win at Tolka Park.

Philly Hughes, rediscovering his goal touch, looked to have earned Shelbourne a draw from a match they dominated. Not having scored in five games, top scorer Hughes tapped home his eighth of the season from captain David Cassidy’s cross on 82 minutes.

But, as with the goal that gave them an interval lead, UCD won it with a stunning counterattack in the 88th minute.

College keeper Mark McGinley made two saves before the ball was swept down the other end.

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It was only partially cleared to midfielder Corry who curled home a delightful left-foot shot.

In an open game between two sides not afraid to pass the ball, Shelbourne’s Kevin Dawson shot wide before Conan Byrne took Stephen Hurley’s pass and hit a left-foot shot that McGinley, hampered by the evening sun, touched onto the bar and out for a corner.

Despite having little of the ball, UCD, without a win since beating Sligo Rovers in May, played when they had it and wasted a gilt-edged opening on 13 minutes.

David McMillan’s cross found Dean Clarke unmarked in the area, but the striker scuffed his shot and the danger was cleared.

Shelbourne thought they’d won a penalty on 24 minutes when referee Graham Kelly pointed to the spot for a handball by UCD skipper Mick Leahy. But on the word of a linesman, a free kick outside the box was given instead with Andy Boyle heading over from substitute Sean Byrne’s cross.

Shelbourne continued to virtually own the ball, but bad luck and poor finishing frustrated them, epitomised by Hughes wasting three chances in seven minutes.

The striker first had a poor connection on an attempted lob when in one-on-one with McGinley. Played in by Byrne’s superb cross, Hughes then blazed over the top before then hitting a post with a free kick on 39 minutes.

Two minutes later UCD struck. Corry put Dean Clarke free on the right and his low cross was blasted to the top corner of the net by McMillan’s shot on the turn.

SHELBOURNE: Bennion; Shortall (Cronin, 75 mins.), Boyle, Paisley, Fitzgerald; Dawson, Hurley; C. Byrne (S. Byrne 21 mins.), Cassidy, Kavanagh (Gorman, 61 mins.); Hughes.

UCD: McGinley; Douglas, Leahy, O’Connor, Nangle; O’Conor, Kavanagh (Russell, 61 mins.), Corry; Clarke, McMillan (Lyons, 75 mins.), Benson.

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork).