A freak equaliser from Sam Clarke and a stunning Jake Doyle strike gave UCD an unlikely come from behind win over Sligo Rovers at the UCD Bowl.
Trailing to Jack Keaney's first half own goal, UCD plugged away with limited possession in the second half and levelled in unconventional fashion on 74 minutes.
Sligo left-back Danny Lafferty shepherded substitute Daniel Kinsella-Bishop's header back to goalkeeper Luke McNicholas.
But the alert Clarke, on the pitch just 30 seconds, rushed down the clearance with the ball striking him full in the face to ricochet past the stranded McNicholas and into the net for a bizarre first senior goal for the 19-year-old.
Doyle, just 18, then won it for College on 85 minutes when getting on the end of Alex Nolan’s in-swinging free kick to find the top corner with a sublime header.
Kian Moore secured the three points with a brilliant save on 88 minutes, somehow turning Max Mata’s header over the crossbar.
The victory ends a run of eight straight defeats for UCD who reduce their deficit at the foot of the table to 11 points.
A damaging defeat for Sligo means they have now won once in eight games and remain just two points ahead of Cork City in the relegation play-off place.
Sligo enjoyed plenty of possession from the off and deserved their 22nd minute lead from the first corner of the game.
Johan Brannefalk’s delivery was nodded down at the back post by John Mahon. Captain David Cawley got to the loose ball to get his shot away with UCD skipper, and former Sligo defender, Keaney deflecting it into his own net.
UCD finally threatened for the first time four minutes later.
Doyle found a pocket of space only to see his shot blocked out for a corner by Mahon.
Mata might have done better back at the other end on 37 minutes from a clear opening.
Played in by Cawley, the New Zealander scuffed his shot which was comfortably gathered by Moore.
And Mata was there again with the first opening of the second half, heading over the top from Brannefalk's fine right flank cross.
Always UCD’s chief threat, Doyle worked McNicholas for the first time nine minutes into the second half before the real drama unfolded late on.
UCD: Kian Moore; Daniel Babb, Jack Keaney, Adam Wells, Evan Osam; Luke O'Regan (Daniel Kinsella-Bishop 62); Alex Nolan, Michael Gallagher (Sam Clarke 73), Brendan Barr, Danny Norris (Harvey O’Brien 88); Jake Doyle.
Sligo Rovers: Luke McNicholas; Johan Brannefalk,John Mahon, Nando Pijnaker, Danny Lafferty; Niall Morahan (Kailin Barlow 75), Lukas Browning, David Cawley (Greg Bolger 67); Stefan Radosavljevic (Frank Liivak 60), Max Mata, Will Fitzgerald.
Referee: Adriano Reale (Wexford).
