Dundalk 2 - 3 UCD
Credit:
UCD beat Dundalk 3-2 at Oriel Park on Friday evening on a night where the quality of finishing was the difference between the sides.
A brace from David McMillan and Robbie Benson’s second half strike handed the Students all three points while Patrick Hoban scored a double for the Lilywhites who had a hatful of chances throughout the 90 minutes.
After the postponement in Sligo last weekend, Dundalk played a much changed side in their EA Sports Cup exit on Tuesday evening but they made six changes for the return to league action tonight. Andy Boyle, Mark Rossiter, Stephen O’Donnell, John Dillon, Tiarnan Mulvenna and Pat Hoban all returned to the starting XI replacing Eoghan Osborne, John Mountney, Stephen McDonnell, Darren Meenan, Kurtis Byrne and Vinny Faherty.
For UCD just three changes were made from the side which held Limerick to a draw last weekend with Mark Langtry, Craig Walsh and Barry McCabe coming in for Tomas Boyle, Robbie Creevy and Sean Russell.
The game was barely 90 seconds old when the game got its first goal. John Dillon, who impressed on the right, played a perfect cross into the box which caught out UCD’s David O’Connor. The ball was controlled perfectly by Pat Hoban who coolly slotted the ball home past Conor O’Donnell in the visitors goal to give Dundalk the lead.
Moments later they should have made it two. Dillon’s corner wasn’t dealt with and it fell to Tiarnan Mulvenna eight yards from goal but his shot on the turn was hit over the crossbar.
That miss was to prove costly as UCD levelled on 11 minutes. John Sullivan was adjudged to have fouled Gary Burke inside the area and referee Sean Grant pointed to the spot. David McMillan stepped up and emphatically smashed home the kick giving goalkeeper Peter Cherrie no chance.
The game settled down after the hectic opening quarter of an hour and Dundalk had the better of it. After McMillan had an effort saved by Cherrie, Stephen O’Donnell shot wide of the post after some wonderful interplay on the edge of the UCD area. Next up for the Lilywhites was Mulvenna who, after a good knock forward by Hoban, shot just wide of the post from 12 yards.
The first half was a stop-start affair and was uninspiring at times so it was no surprise that the half ended with both sides level at one apiece.
The second half started in similar fashion to the first and again there was an early goal. This time it went to the visitors as they swept forward at pace. Robbie Benson played a low cross into the Dundalk box and McMillan struck to the net for his second of the game.
The Lilywhites responded well when Ward found space inside the box but his shot was tame and straight at O’Donnell. Hoban then fell under the challenge of Mark Langtry but referee Grant waved away the protests.
Former UCD man Andy Boyle rose highest to head Dillon’s corner but he directed the ball narrowly wide of the post. Again, UCD made the Lilywhites pay for their lack of cutting edge when they made it 3-1 just before the hour mark.
Benson dispossessed O’Donnell in midfield and he found McMillan. Benson ran on untracked and McMillan found him expertly and with just Cherrie to beat the 21 year-old made no mistake and found the net from eight yards.
That left the hosts with a mountain to climb and they reacted well as within minutes Stephen O’Donnell’s powerful drive was excellently saved by his namesake O’Donnell in the 65th minute. The ball fell to Mulvenna and he found the net but it was disallowed for offside.
O’Donnell tested his namesake once more when he got onto the end of a wonderful move but his shot on the stretch was straight at the goalkeeper and UCD scrambled the ball away.
UCD should have made it four with nine minutes remaining when Burke found himself all alone 20 yards from goal and he slid the ball past the onrushing Cherrie but the ball went just wide of the post.
Seconds later, the Lilywhites threw themselves a lifeline. A long ball from Dillon found Dane Massey on the byline and his cross into the six yard area found Hoban who nodded past O’Donnell for his second of the game.
Substitute Kurtis Byrne almost salvaged a point for the hosts at the death when his superb volley smashed off the crossbar when he had ‘keeper O’Donnell beaten all ends up.
Despite Dundalk’s onslaught, it wasn’t to be and UCD took a valuable three points back to Dublin 4 and snapped the Lilywhites winning streak in Oriel Park.
DUNDALK: Peter Cherrie; John Sullivan (John Mountney 62), Mark Rossiter, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; Richie Towell, Stephen O’Donnell ©; John Dillon, Keith Ward (Darren Meenan 66); Tiarnan Mulvenna (Kurtis Byrne 79), Pat Hoban.
Subs not used: Eoghan Osborne, Stephen McDonnell, Vinny Faherty, Aaron Shanahan (GK).
Booked: Sullivan (12), O’Donnell (60).
UCD: Conor O’Donnell; Gareth Matthews, David O’Connor, James Kavanagh, Mark Langtry; Robbie Benson, Craig Walsh (Hugh Douglas 86), Barry McCabe(Colm Crowe 76), Dean Clarke (Cillian Morrison 66), Gary Burke; David McMillan.
Subs not used: Hugh Douglas, Sean Coyne, Thomas O’Halloran, Daniel Corcoran, Mark McGinley (GK).
Booked: Morrison (70).
Referee: Sean Grant.
Attendance: 1,155
Extratime.ie man of the match: Robbie Benson (UCD).
