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For the fourth time this season, UCD dropped points with about the last kick of the game; this time in dropping two points to a Galway side who should have been out of sight as the final whistle approached.
The starting line up saw one enforced change from the side which drew with St Pat's - Tony McDonnell, with eigjht stitches in an eye wound, was replaced with Peter Hynes as Pete Mahon reverted to a 4-4-2 formation.
However, during the warm up, Alan Mahon picked up an injury which forced Mahon to name Brian Shortall in the team, pushing Conor Kenna out to right back.
The UCD defence took some time to get used to this change, which enabled Galway to take the lead. O'Brien went past Kenna with ease on the left wing and squared for Derek Glynn, whose first touch was untidy, but he had enough room for that not to matter, and he tucked home past Darren Quigley.
Two minutes later, Shortall conceded a free 20 yards out and near the centre of the goal; Fagan's free took a nice and Quigley had to be at his best to touch around the far post.
That, however, was as good as it got for Galway in the first half. UCD striggled to impose themselves early on, but with Kenna switching to centre back to be replaced at right back by Shortall, the Students started more and more to dominate proceedings.
On 26 minutes came the home side's first real chance - Conor Sammon turning in the area to fire into the corner, but the visiting keeper pulled off a superb save to his right. He was only postponing what even at that stage was appearing inevitable, and six minutes later UCD equalised. Shane Fitzgerald was played in on the right, and his cross across the face of goal evaded Peter Hynes but found Derek Doyle, who tucked home into the far corner for his seventh of the season.
And ten minutes later, it was 2-1. A pass from the Galway midfield took an unlucky deflection of the helpless referee, and set Derek Doyle away. He was tackled in the D, but the ball fell for Shane Fitzgerald to blast home his first goal for UCD from the edge of the area.
It was at this stage looking all too easy for UCD against an insipid Galway side, and the hosts really should have extended their advantage before the hour. First Conor Sammon was set free only for the Galway keeper to come out to the corner of the area to slide tackle clear, and then Sammon was again sent through, but this time, the ball bounced off his shin as he bore down on the exposed keeper. On 58 minutes, an Ian Bermingham cross found Doyle at the far post, and he went past one man before drilling in a shot just wide, while five minutes later, Sammon was clearly bundled over in the box as he chased a through ball, but no penalty was awarded.
As is their habit, however, the Students went to sleep after that, and chances were few and far between until the 80th minute, when Galway brought the best out of Darren Quigley; Glynn evading his marker long enough to power in a shot which Quiglay parried away. A scramble resulted from the ensuing corner, but again, the UCD defence got a body in the way to deflect over.
The game appeared to have finally turned in UCD's favour with the 84th minte introduction of Paul Murphy for his debut; within seconds, he had gotten free down the left and sent in a ball to the penalty spot, but Shane Fitzgerald's dinked lob was just over. And as the game entered injury time, a Fitzgerald cross was headed inches wide by Murphy.
Then came the final drama. Three minutes' injury time were already up when Paul Murphy was held trying to win a header 20 yards from goal. The referee saw fit for some reason to award a free out. This was directed towards Wes Charles - who had bizarrely replaced top scorer Derek Glynn moments earlier - and with UCD for once not clearing their lines, Stephen O'Flynn leaped highest to loop the rebound over Quigley's outstretched arm an dinto the net for a point United scarcely deserved.
UCD - Quigley; Kenna, Shortall, Bermingham, McNally; King, Finn, Fitzgerald, Doyle; Hynes (Murphy 84), Sammon. Subs not used - C Byrne, McFaul, Gregg.
