Heartbreaking defeat for Mayo FC

Mayo FC lost 1-0 to UCD on Saturday afternoon in the League of Ireland Academy Men’s Under-20 Group 2, with Odhran McLaughlin’s late penalty snatching the three points for the students.

Mayo FC produced some tidy football in this keenly contested clash at Umbro Park Milebush and the green and red could well have taken the lead on 28 minutes, however, Guga Kokaia saw his free-kick sail inches over the crossbar.

Anthony O’Neill’s troops continued to play with plenty of purpose, with Daviti Tsikarishvili teeing-up John Paul Collins on 31 minutes, with the latter’s effort flashing narrowly wide.

Three minutes into the new half, Mayo missed a gilt-edged opportunity, when Tsikarishvili’s perfectly weighted corner-kick found the poaching Cathal Gavin, whose header sailed inches over the UCD crossbar.

UCD gradually began to craft goal-scoring opportunities, but the Mayo custodian Fionn Barnes produced some superb saves.

It appeared that Mayo had done enough to earn a share of the spoils, however, on 90 minutes, UCD were awarded a spot-kick after Sam Neville was fouled inside the area. McLaughlin guided home the subsequent penalty to claim the spoils for the Dublin side.