Lyons grabs a late winner for Devon in U-19 League

Salthill Devon 3UCD 2

Timing is everything because with just a minute to spare Jason Lyons slotted home the match winner as Salthill Devon came from two down to register their fifth win of the Airtricity U-19 League at Drom on Saturday afternoon.

After a backs-to-the-wall opening half in which they found themselves two down at the break, they threw themselves a life line on 51 minutes when Charlie Tynon pulled one back and in fairness from there to the finish, Devon were the better side as they denied the Students the space they were allowed earlier on.

UCD certainly follow a cultured ethos, and their passing and movement had the home side in all sorts of bother early on and indeed they should have taken a second minute lead, but for terrific penalty save by Evan Duffy to deny Chris Lyons.

However the breakthrough arrived on 23 minutes, when again Duffy did extremely well to keep out a Lyons free kick, but there was little he could do as Robbie Slater followed up to bang home the rebound for a 1-0 lead.

They doubled their advantage before the break when Luke Fitzgibbon curled a shot beyond Duffy to give the students a merited 2-0 interval advantage.

Matters seemed to be continuing in a similar vein on the resumption as the visitors continue to build from the back, but apart from a 48th minute effort across the face of goal by Dean Clarke, little was seen of them in attack thereafter.

Jason Lyons, who had a terrific game on the right, set up the opener for the home side with a delivery into the box and while Timmy Molloy couldn’t apply the finish, the ball fell kindly for Tynon who was all alone at the far post to make it 2-1.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.