Treaty United secure point away to UCD in First Division

TOMMY Barrett’s Treaty United ended their two-game winless run, securing a 1-1 draw away to ten-man UCD in the SSE Airtricity League First Division at Belfield on Friday evening.

Goals from Mark Byrne for Treaty and Eanna Clancy for the students either side of half-time saw the points shared in an entertaining clash in South Dublin.

After this result, Treaty United remain in eighth place in the First Division table, seven points off the promotion play-off places.

The Shannonsiders have had mixed results against the promotion-chasing students this year, having lost at home in April whilst defeating them in Belfield in an impressive win at the beginning of the season.

Coming into Friday evening’s game UCD were placed third in the table having registered thirty- six points so far this season.

Meanwhile, Treaty trailed twelve points behind them in eighth.

The first real chance of the game fell to the home side as Corey Chambers got down well to save from Collie Bolton in the fifteenth minute. The UCD attacker got on the end of a low-driven cross from the right but Chambers was equal to the challenge.

In what was a very quiet opening quarter in terms of goal action Treaty were forced to wait until the 38th minute for their first attempt when electric winger Thomas Considine raced through on goal before unleashing a shot that was well saved by Kian Moore.

However, just three minutes Treaty took the lead when Mark Byrne rifled his shot from the edge of the box into the roof of the net. The attacker's effort seemed to catch Moore out in the UCD goal as Treaty went in at the interval 1-0 up.

After the restart, Mickey McCullagh and Adam Verdon tried their luck for the students but neither could trouble Chambers.

Mark Byrne responded with a shot from distance but his effort was well over the crossbar.

In the 60th minute, the Dublin students equalised through Captain Eanna Clancy. The left-back rose highest in the Treaty box to head home an in-swinging McCullagh corner.

The 68th minute saw the introduction of former Limerick FC fan favourite Lee J Lynch for the Shannonsiders. The attacking midfielder almost made an immediate impact, clipping his shot from distance off the crossbar after a darting run from deep.

UCD were then dealt a blow in the 72nd minute as defender Alex Dunne was dismissed for a second yellow card after a foul on Considine. However, Treaty couldn’t make their numerical advantage count in the remaining minutes as the
game ground to a stalemate.

Tommy Barrett’s charges will now turn their focus to the FAI Cup next week when they will take on non-league Kilbarrack United.

Meanwhile, UCD will travel to the southeast to take on Gorey Rangers.

UCD: Kian Moore, Luke O”Regan, Adam Wells (Donal Higgins 45), Alex Dunne, Niall Holohan, Eanna Clancy, Mikey McCullagh, Colin Bolton, Adam Verdon (Cathal McCarthy 89), Jake Doyle, Mikey Raggett (Hugh Parker 60).

Treaty United: Corey Chambers, Robbie Lynch, Ben O’Riordan, Evan O’Connor, Fionn Doherty (Oisín O’Reilly 84), Steven Healy (Lee J Lynch 68), Lee Devitt, Thomas Considine (Trpmimir Vrljicak 89), Mark Byrne, Stephen Christopher, Yoyo Mahdy (Enda Curran 68).

Referee: Declan Toland.