Conan Byrne returned to Belfield to haunt his former club as he struck the only goal of the game to give Sporting Fingal a massively important three points at the UCD Bowl.

Ex-Student Byrne prevented UCD going back top of the First Division as Sporting took the points with a smash and grab raid.

Byrne punished a poor back pass from substitute Peter McMahon on 72 minutes to race through and power a left foot shot past Billy Brennan.

The result was harsh on UCD who dominated from the start and had a penalty shout waved away on 23 minutes when keeper Darren Quigley appeared to take down Ciaran Kilduff.

Sporting defender Shane McFaul then got just a yellow card when he was lucky not to be sent off for clearly handling the ball on the ground to prevent Kilduff bursting through minutes later.

But Sporting came alive seven minutes before the break to create the only scoring chance of the half as Brennan bravely saved at the feet of Byrne.

UCD remained the better side and Sporting right-back Brian Gannon headed off the line on 50 minutes from Andy Boyle after the visitors failed to clear John Reilly’s corner.

Sporting had another let off on 64 minutes when defender Evan McMillan rattled their bar from Reilly’s cross before Byrne punished McMahon’s error to win it for Sporting.

The win moves Sporting up to third place for 24 hours at least.