Drogheda United picked up a much-needed first point in seven league games when a second half penalty by Glen Fitzpatrick earned them a draw against fellow Premier Division strugglers UCD at the Belfield Bowl last night.
    
College had an early chance when in-form striker Ciaran Kilduff picked up a loose ball in midfield to cut in from the left and fire in an angled shot from 16 yards inches wide of the target. And it was the same player again on 18 minutes who saw a lobbed shot rebound off the post with 'keeper Robert Duggan beaten.

      But Kilduff was not to be denied when he opened the scoring on 22 minutes after clever approach work between Keith Ward and Graham Rusk. Accepting the pass from Ward, Kilduff cleverly dummied the 'keeper and fired into the roof of the net left-footed for his 12th league goal of the season.

       The Students again went close when a Greg Bolger free on the left was powerfully headed goalwards by central defender Michael Leahy from six yards only for Duggan to produce a brilliant reaction save when pushing the ball over the bar.

        It was all one way traffic in the direction of the Drogheda goal with winger Karl Moore having a ten yard effort taken off the line by central defender Alan McNally with Duggan beaten.

       Drogheda began the second half brightly when a cross  Eric McGill allowed Peter McMahon to get in a shot blocked by College 'keeper Billy Brennan with substute's John Flood's effort on the rebound cleared by defender Paul O'Connor.

        Robbie Creevy who had been booked a minute earlier was shown the red card on 57 minutes for handling the ball inside the area. Fitzpatrick made no mistake with the resulting penalty sending 'keeper Billy Brennan the wrong way.

        Conor Sinnott went close to giving Drogheda victory when his long range frree from 30 yards on 77 minutes was gratefully grabbed at the second attempt by Brennan.

     Kilduff then went close to a winner for the Students when his clever lob in the dying minutes was brilliantly pushed over by the alert Duggan with the visitors' defence in disarray.

     Late on Brennan came to UCD's rescue when pusing over a shap shot from the tricky Ryan Brennan. But  draw was a fair reflection on the night's endeavours.

     UCD - Brennan, O'Connor, Leahy, E.McMillan, Nangle (Matthews 5); Ward (Wilson 80), Creevy, Bolger, Rusk, Moore (Corry 62); Kilduff.

     Drogheda Utd. - Duggan, E.McGill, McNally, Daly, Haro; Meenan, Sinnott (Ross 90), Brennan, McMahon (McEntaggart 75); McNamara (Flood 45), Fitzpatrick. Referee - Rob Rogers (Dublin).