Ciaran Behan's stunner earns UCD a draw away to Dundalk

John Martin had given the Lilywhites the lead shortly after Patrick Hoban missed a penalty.

STUDENTS STUNNER: Ciaran Behan of UCD, 10, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's first goal during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Dundalk and UCD at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Dundalk 1 UCD 1

A stunning 77th minute free-kick from Ciaran Behan saw UCD deny Dundalk an opening day victory at Oriel Park.

Despite seeing his side miss a penalty 10 minutes earlier, Stephen O’Donnell’s troops looked to be on course for victory when John Martin fired them in front on 34 minutes.

However Behan, who 48 hours earlier helped the Students to Collingwood Cup success in Larne with a double in the 3-2 final win over UL, stunned the home crowd with a spectacular equaliser 13 minutes from time.

It was probably no more than Andy Myler’s side deserved. Having only survived relegation via the play-off last season, the Dublin four side are hot favourites to go down this year but showed a fighting spirit that they will hope can see them upset the odds once again.

After a dull opening, Dundalk were awarded a penalty on 24 minutes when Martin went down in the box following a short free kick routine in which Patrick Hoban had feigned to shoot. Hoban, seven goals shy of equalling the club’s all-time scoring record, stepped up to take the spot-kick but was denied by Healy, who dived to his left to push the shot away.

Boosted by that save, UCD went close to hitting the front themselves a minute later only for Donal Higgins’ piledriver to be brilliantly turned behind by Shepperd at full stretch.

The hosts did finally find the breakthrough on 34 minutes. Louie Annesley’s cross from the left was laid off by Hoban to the inrushing Martin, who fired first-time past Healy to the bottom left hand corner.

The Louth men were then unlucky not to double their lead three minutes before the break when Ryan O’Kane made a brilliant driving run into the box past Michael Gallagher and Jack Keaney only to see his left foot shot creep agonisingly wide of the far post.

After plenty of UCD pressure which failed to yield a return on the restart, it was again O’Kane who was first to threaten in the second half. He did well to hold off substitute Ryan Bowden to get on the end of Connor Malley’s pass on 63 minutes but couldn’t find the target as the defender hassled and harried him.

It as all one-way traffic at that stage but Behan then produced a moment of magic to get his side on level terms in 77 minute when he curled a superb free-kick from 25 yards over the wall and into the top right hand corner.

Dundalk pushed hard for a winner after that with Archie Davies going close to a debut goal on 86 minutes but his piledriver from Keith Ward's lay-off deflected just wide.

Dundalk: Shepperd; Davies, Muller, Boyle, Annesley; Malley (Elliott 80), Lewis (Doyle 80), Sloggett; Martin (Ward 84), Hoban, O’Kane (Kelly 84).

UCD: L Healy; Gallagher, Wells (Bowden 60), Keaney, Dempsey; Barr, Keane, Behan, Higgins, Norris (Dignam 69); Nolan.

Referee: Arnold Hunter.