First Division Round-up: Cabinteely move five points clear with away win at Longford Town

Cabinteely moved five points clear at the top of the First Division with a commanding 3-1 win away to fellow title-chasers Longford Town at City Calling Stadium.

Drogheda United jumped back above Longford into second place thanks to a tight 1-0 victory over Galway United at United Park.

And there were three red cards and three goals at the UCD Bowl where Yoyo Mahdy’s brace helped the Students see off Athlone Town to take up fourth position.

Goals from Zak O’Neill, Marty Waters and captain Kevin Knight were enough to see Cabinteely to their sixth win in seven games.

20-year-old O’Neill scored his first league goal after 17 minutes, finishing from 15 yards after being teed up by top scorer Shane Barnes.

Barnes was the creator once more for the second as he exchanged passes with Waters and the former Shamrock Rovers hitman found the bottom corner of Lee Steacy’s net.

The three points were secure 20 minutes from time when Steacy took down the busy Waters and defender Knight strode forward to dispatch the spot-kick.

Joe Gorman pulled one back for the midlanders with a header late on but it was too little too late as Daire Doyle’s side slipped into third.

Chris Lyons’ 12th-minute penalty was the difference at United Park where Drogheda were made to work very hard by Galway United.

Lyons won the penalty himself after he was bundled over by Jack Lynch and he dusted himself down to find the net from 12 yards.

Galway twice hit the woodwork, captain Shane Duggan rattling the bar from a free kick and Maurice Nugent heading against the post, and Tim Clancy’s Drogs held out for victory.

And UCD came down from a goal down and a man down to boost their chances of challenging for automatic promotion with victory at home to Athlone Town.

Athlone led from the 20th minute when Lee Duffy beat Lorcan Healy from close range and things got worse for the Students when Michael Gallagher was sent off for a bad tackle just before half time.

UCD were handed a lifeline in injury time when they were awarded a penalty and Mahdy converted to send the sides in level at the break.



Mahdy added a second with 18 minutes remaining as Dara Keane charged down Ciaran Grogan’s clearance and unselfishly squared for Mahdy to slot into the empty net.

 

There was time for more drama still as Jack Keaney became UCD’s next player to be given his marching orders for a rash tackle on Scott Delaney.

In the resulting melee, Grogan was shown a second yellow, reducing Athlone to ten men, and Andy Myler’s Students pulled through to register their third win of the season.

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