Sport

Gilzean's goal earns St Patrick's vital point

St Patrick's Athletic displayed the type of resolve expected of title aspirants when they garnered a point at Belfield yesterday…

Mon Dec 29 1997 - 00:00

St Patrick's Athletic displayed the type of resolve expected of title aspirants when they garnered a point at Belfield yesterday. Things were looking bleak for the Inchichore side before Ian Gilzean intervened with a stunning goal from 25 yards out to draw the sides level.

They had dominated their opponents for virtually all of the game, a 15-minute spell at the start of the second half being the exception, yet for all their possession and goal-scoring chances, it seemed distinctly possible that they would emerge with nothing from the game.

As early as the 12th minute, Trevor Molloy squandered a glorious chance after Gilzean and Martin Reilly had combined to carve out the opening.

Unfortunately, Molloy expended too much energy in attempting to go around goalkeeper Seamus Kelly and Declan Fitzgerald was able to clear his feeble shot off the line with almost unnatural ease.

READ MORE

Both Reilly and Eddie Gormley troubled the home defence before Molloy displayed no lack of confidence with a curling shot which brought the best out of Kelly.

Those missed opportunities were bound to prove costly and nine minutes after the re-start, they did.

Paul Campbell, believed the ball had gone out of play. Referee Tommy Traynor did not. Ciaran Kavanagh showed quick thinking to drill the ball across the face of goal.

There was no UCD player in a position to capitalise, but the ball struck the unfortunate Colin Hawkins and trickled into his own net beyond the helpless Trevor Wood.

Robert Griffin came close to extending the students' lead, but his shot went just wide of the far post. St Patrick's dug deep and Paul Osam went close before Gilzean finally claimed a more-than-deserved equaliser.

Molloy set Gilzean up with a clever lay-off and the former Sligo Rovers striker unleashed a fearsome shot which gave Kelly no chance and restored Pat Dolan's side's three-point lead at the top of the table.

UCD: Kelly; Bolger, Lynch, Palmer, Fitzgerald; Bennis, Kavanagh, O'Byrne, O'Donnell; Griffin, Kilmurray. Subs: McLaughlin for Bolger, 76 mins.

St Patrick's Athletic: Wood; Campbell, Lynch, Hawkins, Long; Reilly, Morgan, Gormley, Osam; Gilzean, Molloy. Subs: Crolly for Morgan, 61 mins; Keegan for Long, 73 mins; McGuinness for Molloy, 83 mins.

Referee: T Traynor (Dublin).