UCD 1-2 Sporting Fingal

Kenny Browne's first goal for Sporting gave them a third win on the spin to move them up to fourth in the table.

Solid at the back throughout, central defender Browne fully deserved his winner on 51 minutes.

College failed to clear Ollie Cahill's initial ball into their area. Alan Kirby set-up Ronan Finn to lob it back in and Browne was at the back post to score with a looping header.

Ciaran Kilduff forced a parry save from Darren Quigley at the other end minutes later while Keith Ward was inches over with a free-kick.

But that was as good as it got for UCD who drop into the relegation play-off places after this seventh defeat in nine games.

Though UCD shaded the first half, Sporting ran the second and might have added to their winning margin.

Conan Byrne, who'd given them the lead in the first half, volleyed wide and then crossed to see defender Brian Shortall deflect the ball onto his own crossbar.

Byrne then turned well in the box only to rifle wide before O'Neill had an effort taken off the line by Ciaran Nangle.

Ironically, given the nature of the game, it was a long ball from Sporting captain Shaun Williams that found Conan Byrne whose sheer aggression held off a defender before a stunning shot from just outside the box flew past keeper Ger Barron to the net for the lead goal on 27 minutes.

That lifted Sporting and they might have scored twice soon afterwards.

A vital interception by home skipper Evan McMillan prevented Byrne's cross running through for Gary O'Neill.

Then a slip by Nangle gifted the ball to O'Neill on 36 minutes, but he tried to be too clever and his poor chip was straight at Barron.

UCD continued to play, though, and hit back to deservedly level on 39 minutes.

Mulhall forced a mix up in the Sporting defence and Kilduff showed terrific feet before calmly flicking the ball home.

UCD: Barron; Shortall, E. McMillan, Boyle, Nangle; Wilson, Creevy (Moore, 67 mins.), O'Conor, Mulhall (Rusk, 79 mins.0, Ward; Kilduff.

Sporting Fingal: Quigley; O'Brien, Maher, Browne, Frost; Finn, McFaul (Kirby, h/t), Williams; Byrne, O'Neill, Cahill.

Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).

Report courtesy of www.rte.ie