Max Mata of Sligo Rovers shoots to score his side's first goal against UCD. Photo: Sportsfile Expand

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Max Mata of Sligo Rovers shoots to score his side's first goal against UCD. Photo: Sportsfile

Max Mata of Sligo Rovers shoots to score his side's first goal against UCD. Photo: Sportsfile

Max Mata of Sligo Rovers shoots to score his side's first goal against UCD. Photo: Sportsfile

Max Mata scored a hat-trick as Sligo Rovers had to twice come from behind for victory at the UCD Bowl.

Rovers began on the front foot only to find themselves a goal down on five minutes.

Their teenage centre-back Eanna Clancy’s pass back to goalkeeper Luke McNicholas fell short. College striker Danu Kinsella-Bishop skipped away to cross for Alex Nolan to apply a composed finish.

Despite early chances from Mata, the New Zealander got a Sligo equaliser on 21 minutes.

Kailin Barlow linked with Frank Liivak to put Mata in on goal who cut past Ryan Bowden to shoot beyond Lorcan Healy.

But UCD regained the lead four minutes after the interval when Ciaran Behan collected a long clearance on the left to play Kinsella-Bishop through to poke the ball into the net.

Sligo’s pressure brought their second equaliser on 69 minutes when Fabrice Hartmann’s cross struck the hand of UCD’s Brendan Barr, with referee Ray Matthews pointing to the spot.

Mata emphatically drove the penalty to the bottom corner.

A second penalty was given on 82 minutes and Mata scored once again to win it for Sligo.

UCD – Healy; Gallagher, Bowden, Keaney, Norris (Dignam, 53); Barr (Clarke, 89); Nolan (Izekor, 84), Keane, Higgins (O’Connor, 89), Behan; Kinsella-Bishop.

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Sligo Rovers – McNicholas; Brannefalk, Clancy, Pijnaker, Hutchinson (Lafferty, 90); Bolger (Radosavljevic, 59); Browning, Barlow (Morahan, 83); Liivak (Hartann, 59), Mata, Fitzgerald.

Ref – Ray Matthews (Midlands)

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