 It didn't take long for the cobwebs to be brushed off for the visit of UCD on Saturday evening last, but despite creating some decent scoring opportunities, particularly in the second half, Sligo Rovers had to be content with a scoreless draw.
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| Date: |
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Saturday 21 June 2008 |
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The Showgrounds, sligo
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8.00pm |
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| MOTM |
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Raffaele Cretaro |
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Report courtesy www.oceanfm.ie
Rovers will feel aggrieved they didn't come out of this clash with all three points, after dominating the second half - but ultimately poor finishing cost Paul Cook's men dearly.
The Bit O'Red laid siege to the Students' goal in the second period, with Anto Murphy squandering two glorious chances to open the scoring.
Fahrudin Kuduzovic and Matthew Judge went close in the closing stages but the UCD backline held firm to force a stalemate.
This results means Rovers have now failed to record a victory in their last five games, and means they sit in eight place, and UCD, a place below, in ninth.
The Students named a near-full strength side with forward Paul Byrne the only notable absentee.
Rovers, meanwhile, were without the services of suspended full-backs Seamus Coleman and Chris Butler, and striker Romauld Boco, who was on international duty with Benin.
UCD had the better of the first-half chances and were unlucky to enter the interval without hitting the net.
The best of these came on 18 minutes, when Brian Shortall found himself unmarked at the back post but he steered his header well wide of the Rovers net.
The game sprang into life in the second period, when the Bit O'Red came out of the blocks flying.
Raff Cretaro saw his well-struck drive saved by the fingertips of Matt Greg in the UCD net, after good build-up play by Conor O'Grady.
UCD boss Pete Mahon will go away the happier of the two managers, after his side handled everything the Rovers had to throw at them, and the Students earned a precious point in their fight against relegation from the Eircom Premier Division.
Sligo Rovers: Brush, Ventre, McKenzie, Peers, Almeida, O'Grady, Cash (Moore, 53 mins), Cretaro, Murphy (Judge, 78), Kuduzovic, Doherty (Feeney, 78).
UCD: Gregg, Mahon, Bermingham, Kenna, Shortall, McNally, Fitzgerald, King, Finn (Purcell, 78 mins), Doyle, McWalter (Bolger, 87)
Referee: Mark Goff (Limerick).
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