Longford Town were knocked out of the Extra.ie FAI Cup following a shock 2-1 defeat to first division side UCD at the UCD Bowl writes Tony Ghee.
Goals either side of a Dean Williams equaliser for the Town from Paul Doyle and Colm Whelan booked a quarter-final place for the Students.
The first chance of the contest came on 12 minutes when Town Midfielder Darragh Nugent fired wide from thirty yards.
The visitors almost prised open the Students defence on fifteen minutes with a superb flowing move down the right.
Nugent passed to Dean Williams who subsequently released Grimes on the overlap and his low cross was curled just inches wide by Conor Davis from fifteen yards.
Two minutes later the Premier Division side came close again. Grimes low, curling free-kick picked out Williams inside the box but his lifted shot landed on the roof of the UCD net.
The hosts created their first good opportunity on twenty-eight minutes when Paul Doyle and Mark Dignam combined to set-up Adam Verdon but his 25 yard snap shot flashed narrowly wide.
UCD had the last chance of the first half when Doyle's quickly taken free-kick resulted in Evan Weir's 30-yard thunderbolt producing an excellent save from Town keeper Mick Kelly.
UCD came very close to taking the lead in the fifty-fifth minute when Jack Keaney struck the Longford crossbar with a powerful thirty yard free-kick.
The Dubliners were awarded a free-kick on seventy minutes when Town defender Joe Manley fouled Liam Kerrigan and up stepped Doyle to curl his twenty-five yard strike beyond the despairing dive of Town keeper Kelly into the bottom corner of the net.
Town were back on level terms within two minutes as Rob Manley's low, curling cross from the left was side-footed home from close range by striker Williams.
Williams almost got a second in the 79th minute but his shot was brilliantly saved by UCD keeper Healy.
UCD regained the lead on eighty minutes with an outstanding goal when striker Whelan blasted an unstoppable 23 yard shot to the corner of the Town net.
The home side held on for a deserved victory as Whelan's 17th goal of the season effectively ended Longford's season as the Midlanders are destined for relegation after just one season in the top flight.
UCD (4-1-4-1): Healy, Osam, O'Brien, Todd, Weir, Keaney, Kerrigan, Doyle, Verdon (Keane 68), Dignam, Whelan.
Substitutions: Keane for Verdon (68 minutes)
Longford Town (4-4-1-1): Kelly, Joe Manley, McDonnell, O'Driscoll, Kirk, Rob Manley, Nugent, Robinson, Grimes, Davis, Williams.
Substitutions: Keane for Verdon (69 minutes), Zambra for Robinson and Dobbs for Davis (both 74 minutes), Warfield for Kirk (83 minutes), Byrne for Nugent (87 minutes).
Referee: Adriano Reale
