LyIT denied by 95th minute equaliser in CUFL opener

A 95th minute equaliser by QUB’s Sam Young denied LyIT a win in their opening Colleges and Universities Football League Division One encounter.

Letterkenny Institute of Technology 2

Queen’s University Belfast 2

The clock was ticking into its final seconds when Young netted in a cruel ending for the hosts at the Port Road campus.

It seemed as if Gabriel Aduaka’s double was set to hand Shane Byrne’s side a victory, the Institute striker netting twice in a five-minute spell after John Deeney’s early goal gave QUB the edge.

In between the rain showers, Aduaka turned the game on its head only for QUB to snatch a draw right at the end.

LyIT sub Joel Gorman was penalised for a rash challenge just inside the LyIT half close to the touchline.

QUB punished it with the equaliser from the next play. The free kick came into a crowded penalty area and wasn’t under the control of anyone when Young got the final touch with LyIT scrambling to clear.

The final whistle shrilled soon after and it felt like a defeat for the home side.

QUB - who included Carrigans man Adam Green among their number - took the lead in the fifth minute when Deeney robbed back possession and lobbed his shot over Matthew Gallagher.

Adam McCaffrey dipped one effort from the edge of the D just inches over Conan Doherty’s crossbar at the other end.

McCaffrey seemed set to draw the home side level when he connected with Pat Loughrey’s low cross, but Doherty made the decisive block.

Daylen Farrens hit the top of the LyIT crossbar before Finn Harps senior panelist Stephen Doherty shot over while off balance.

Doherty was denied by a goal-line block after Aduaka’s neat header invited the shot while Aduaka couldn’t convert a big chance late in the first half after being fed by McCaffrey.

However, LyIT were level 19 minutes from the end when Aduaka broke clear and coolly slotted past the advancing Doherty to the bottom corner.

Five minutes later, they were in front as, with Doherty rooted to the spot, Aduaka headed home from Kieran Farren’s teasing cross.

In between Aduaka’s goals, Farren headed off the crossbar after connecting to Mark McFadden’s free.

The hard work looked to have been done.

Until, that was, it was undone deep into stoppage time.

Letterkenny Institute of Technology: Matthew Gallagher, Rian Aikpitanyi, Fionn McClure, Kieran Farren, Sean McDermott, Charlie White, Adam McCaffrey (Sean McBride 90+3), Stephen Doherty, Gabriel Aduaka, Mark McFadden (Joel Gorman 73), Pat Loughrey (Damien Duffy 90).

Queen’s University Belfast: Conan Doherty, Eoin Brown, Ethan Power, Dan Mairs, Ruairi Nixon, Adam Green, Daylen Farrens (Pól Og MacCormaic 74), Jonny Mairs, Adam McConville (Sam Young 74), John Deeney, Matt  Doherty (Ryan Irvine 80)

Referee: Michael Connolloy