UCD -v- St Patrick's Athletic

UCD

UCD have had a tough start to the 2013 season and with seven games played they are yet to record their first league win. The Students lost their opening four fixtures, which included a morale sapping 6-0 defeat to title chasing Derry City, before registering their first point in a 2-2 draw with Bray Wanderers.

But last weekend saw an extremely positive performance away to Cork City and the club will deem themselves unfortunate to have come away from Turner’s Cross without at least a point. UCD took the lead in that game and missed a penalty early in the second half with the score at 1-1. Cork’s winner, a belter of a shot from Shane Duggan, came with just one minute left on the clock. 

As might be expected of a club at the foot of the table, UCD have had trouble keeping their opponents out and have yet to keep a clean sheet. So far they have conceded 20 league goals and the continued absence of central defender and captain Mick Leahy hasn’t helped matters, though he is hopeful of returning to training during next week.

At the other end, the Students have relied for goals on David McMillan. The striker returned to College colours last July and scored seven times over the latter part of the season. He has already struck four times in 2013 but manager Martin Russell will be hopeful that others can also row in on that front.

Looking forward to the visit of St Patrick’s Athletic, midfielder James Kavanagh stressed the need for self belief. “If you don't look forward to playing against teams like St Pats, then you shouldn't be playing in the league. They are a great team, but then again so are we, and it is about time we started believing in ourselves and get off the bottom of the table. This will be a great opportunity to do that, there are some great players at this club who are destined for great careers in the sport, but now it is up to us to prove it.”

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

St Pats have had an up and down start to the season. They opened up with a promising 1-0 win at home to Drogheda United but followed that up with a poor display and a 3-0 thumping away to Shamrock Rovers. There followed two postponements before they saw action again, winning 1-0 at Limerick, losing at home to a resurgent Dundalk, and winning another away game, this time at Bray Wanderers.

On the face of it UCD offer a prime opportunity for Liam Buckley’s men to secure a third consecutive away victory and to push themselves towards the top end of the table. But Buckley knows that are likely to offer more resistance than their league position might suggest.

“UCD were very unfortunate last week against Cork City”, he said, “so we know they’re better than the league table suggests. However we’d a good win last week in Bray, played some good football and deserved the points. Now we’re all looking to build on that with another three points on Friday night.”

In team news, Buckley has just one absentee with Shane McFaul not considered fit enough to return to first team action after his groin injury. The rest of his squad are injury and suspension free.

Referee: Tom Connolly.

MATCH STATS

UCD striker David McMillan has scored four of the club’s six league goals and would have had more but for a missed penalty against Cork City last weekend.

St Pats had a merry old time against UCD last year, winning 2-0 and 5-0 in the two games at Richmond Park. The game at Belfield finished 1-1.

All three of St Pat’s league wins this season have been secured on 1-0 score-lines. In total they have scored four times in five league outings with four different players getting on the score-sheet.

BETTING

UCD 11/2; Draw 13/5; St Patrick’s Ath 8/15.

PREDICTION

It would be irresponsible not to go with the form book, so UCD 1-2 St Pats Ath. But in the privacy of my own home I fancy UCD to win.

UCD

Injured: Mick Leahy.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.

St Patrick’s Ath

Injured: Shane McFaul.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.