SLIGO ARE HELD BY STUDENTS

SLIGO ROVERS’ poor form continued as they were held to a draw by UCD at the Showgrounds

Max Mata had given the Bit O’Red the lead at the break, but the determined Students turned this game on its head with goals from Colm Whelan and Evan Caffrey.

Mata levelled the game with his second, but a toothless Sligo failed to push on and claim what would have been a first win in four.

Liam Buckley’s side had failed to find the net in over 220 minutes prior to this tie and the relief was palpable around the Showgrounds when the home side hit the lead, Mata arriving at the front post to head home Karl O’Sullivan’s 23rd-minute corner for his first goal for the club.

Andy Meyler’s charges levelled on 57 minutes when striker Whelan’s shot from the edge of the Sligo area found the bottom corner.

Sligo then sat off Dylan Duffy, who was allowed to slip the ball into the path of Caffrey, who fired UCD into the lead from close range.

Rovers replied five minutes later, Mata beating Lorcan Healy to Greg Bolger’s set-piece and nodding the ball over the goalkeeper. sLigo rovErs: McGinty; Banks, Pijnaker, Buckley, McCourt (Kirk 45); McDonnell (Cawley 86), Bolger; O’Sullivan, Fitzgerald; Mata, Hamilton (Keogh 74). UCD: Healy; Dunne, Todd, Gallagher, Osam; Keaney, Higgins (Brennan 73); Kerrigan (Lennon 92), Caffrey, Duffy (Nolan 86); Whelan. rEFErEE: Derek Tomney. aTTEnDanCE: 1,865