UCD AFC prepared for tonights Airtricity Premiership opener claiming yet another trophy with a win over NUIG in the Collingwood Cup yesterday.

UCD 0 NUIG 0 (UCD win 4-2 on penalties, AET)

Goalkeeper Mark McGinley was the hero with two fine penalty shoot-out saves at the Brandywell to help UCD retain the Irish Universities Collingwood Cup.

UCD have had a fantastic season so far with the Colleges and Universities Football League, The Harding Cup, and the League of Ireland Under-20 back in December all under their belt and with the Airtricity Premiership beginning on Friday night against Drogheda United in United Park, they will be going into the league full of confidence.

UCD entered the game with an unchanged team from their semi final victory against University of Ulster, Jordanstown, retaining goalkeeper and back four that had performed so heroically.  

David McMillan went close for UCD with a header from a Paul Corry free-kick late in the second half but both teams were feeling the effects of four days of football and few chances were created in this tense final.

Galway’s best chance came from another set piece as the hero of the UCD Collingwood Cup team, Mark McGinlay, tipped a screaming effort onto the post and let up to see the ball cleared to safety.

McGinlay proved to be the teams winning formula and with the saves from the young Donegal netminder it gave sub Gavin Falconer the chance to beat Liam Grant in the Galway goal and claim the prestigious cup for the Belfield side for the second successive year.

Player of the tournament, Mick Leahy, raised the cup the celebratory cries from the UCD players and staff reflecting an incredible achievement for the team and UCD AFC in just three short months.

UCD -- M McGinley, J Timmons, D O'Connor, M Kelly (S Houston 89), M Leahy, M Langtry, S Belhout (R Creevy 50), P Corry, D McMillen, D Fallon (C Melvin 50, G Falconer, 100), P McMahon.

NUIG -- L Grant, S Conneely, C Larkin, M Conneely, S Murphy, C Burke (P Flaherty 105), E Dunne (B Gaffney 46), A Lee (M Gilmore 80), C Foley, G Cheevers, (S Browne 55), P Reilly.

REF -- P McFadden (Derry)