Charlton concluded a tiring few days by falling to defeat against UCD at the UCD Bowl on Wednesday evening.
The match was the Addicks’ third in as many days and they started brightly until Ben Hanrahan fired the hosts into the lead with their first attack of the match.
UCD doubled their advantage through Jason McClelland’s stunning strike and the same man made it three five minutes before the break when he curled home a brilliant free-kick.
Charlton threatened after the break but the home side added to their lead through Rob Manley before Karlan Ahearne-Grant pulled one back late on for Karl Robinson’s side.
Mark Marshall forced the first effort of the game when he fired over on three minutes and 60 seconds later the Addicks came close again.
Ceballos collected a clever pass from Billy Clarke, spun and arrowed a low strike towards the bottom corner that goalkeeper Niall Corbett pushed to safety.
UCD nudged ahead on 12 minutes. Daire O’Connor forced Dillon Phillips into a good save to his right but the loose ball dropped for Hanrahan and he stroked home from 12 yards.
Jorge Teixeira headed off target as the Addicks looked to reply with an equaliser and on 22 minutes Marshall volleyed over the bar, having linked up well with Josh Magennis.
The chances continued to drop Charlton’s way with their next one falling for front-man
Magennis. Kashi zipped a ball over the top and the Northern Irishman beat goalkeeper Corbet to it only to see his lobbed effort bounce just wide.
Corbet kept out a Jackson header on 28 minutes and then denied Clarke with a superb reflex save, after the Addicks’ number 10 had cut inside from the right flank.
UCD doubled their lead moments later. McClelland picked up possession 25 yards from goal and rocketed an unstoppable effort into the corner of the net.
It was a brilliant strike and the midfielder doubled his tally five minutes later. Patrick Bauer was penalised for a foul on Cian Kavanagh and McClelland stepped up to curl the resulting free-kick into the same corner that he had picked out moments ago.
UCD held their lead at the break and they could have extended it three minutes after the restart. Substitute Georgie Kelly lobbed the ball over Phillips but Jorge Teixeira was well positioned to clear the danger.
At the other end, Charlton then dug out a flurry of good chances of their own.
First, Patrick Bauer saw a header cleared off the line by centre-back Liam Scales before a Johnnie Jackson strike was blocked just in front of the goal-line and then Billy Clarke steered just wide, having linked up well Ceballos down the right.
A flurry of substitutions came just after the hour mark and Charlton had the ball in the net through Ceballos on 68 minutes, though his deflected strike was disallowed for offside.
Watt then dragged a shot wide as Robinson’s men continued to try and reduce the deficit.
UCD made it four 10 minutes from time when Rob Manley poked home, after some good work from Sean Byrne, but Charlton would have the final say of the match.
Cameron Stewart latched onto a poor clearance from goalkeeper Corbet and teed up Ahearne-Grant who guided the ball excellently into the far corner.
UCD: Corbet, Tobin, Osam, Scales, Kouogun, Sloggett, O’Connor, Molloy, Hanrahan, Kavanagh, McClelland.
Subs: Coyne, Collins, Joe Manley, Crowley, McGowan (gk), Ryan, Coughlan, Byrne, Power, Kelly, Rob Manley.
Goals: Hanrahan 12, McClelland 35, 40, R Manley 81.
Charlton: Phillips, Solly (Barnes 77), Jackson (Sarr 62), Teixeira (Konsa 62), Bauer (Pearce 62), Kashi (Dijksteel 62), Aribo (Crofts 62), Ceballos (Charles-Cook 81), Marshall (Stewart 77), Clarke, Magennis (Watt 54).
Subs (not used): Maynard-Brewer.
Goal: Ahearne-Grant 86.