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Cork City grind out a 1-0 win over UCD

Friday 30th June 2006, 10:33 pm

Denis Behan hit the winner against UCD.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Cork City are back on top of the eircom League Premier Division tonight following a hard fought 1-0 win over UCD at Turner's Cross. Substitute Denis Behan grabbed the only goal of the game on the hour mark to move Cork three points clear of Shelbourne at the top of the table.

A poor first half saw Cork have a couple of penalty appeals turned away while UCD went close to breaking the deadlock. Admir Softic had an appeal waved away while Darren Quigley escaped after appearing to block Behan in the area.

Pat McWalter and Conor Sammon both wasted good chances for UCD with tame shots that were very easy for Cork keeper Mick Devine. Billy Woods just before half-time had the best chance of the first half but Quigley in the UCD goal saved well.

Sammon again failed to fire away a good shot after the break and Cork finally made the breakthrough on the hour. A good passing movement sent Roy O'Donovan free down the wing and he squared for Behan to turn home. Behan had been brought into the game as early as the 20th minute after the injury-prone John O'Flynn suffered another problem.

Gary Dicker should have brought UCD level ten minutes later but he couldn't make a clean enough connection to turn Alan Cawley's cross home. His first effort came back off Devine with the ball eventually going off target.

UCD had their chances to level and Derek Doyle also wasted a gilt edged chance as he failed to find the target when he appeared to be in one-on-one.

Cork City : Devine, Horgan, Bennett, Murray, Woods, Gamble, O'Donovan, O'Brien, Softic (Murphy 54), Fenn, O'Flynn (Behan 20).
UCD : Quigley, Mahon, McNally, Shortall, Kenna, Hurley, Dicker, McDonnell (Cawley 54), Doyle, McWalter (Ryan 76), Sammon (Quinn 76).