League Report: UCD 6 - 1 Cabinteely

Collie O’Neill’s UCD went into Friday night’s game as 1/4 favourites with the bookies, and the Students certainly were deserving of those odds as they obliterated the division’s bottom side 6-1.

Reports earlier this week suggested that Cabo boss Eddie Gormley had been fired, and Interim Manager Andrew Rice will be under no illusions as to the job he has, as he saw his new charges gunned down by four-goal hero Ryan Swan and co.

The home side exerted their dominance from the get go, but were limited to efforts from distance like Mark Langtry’s shot on seven minutes that was high and wide.

Mick Leahy (twice) and Tomás Boyle went close with headers from set pieces, but in truth Cabo goalkeeper Sean Hyland was still comfortable.

Robbie Benson did manage to warn Hyland’s mitts on 38 minutes though, but his tame effort from distance was straight at the visiting goalkeeper.

The breakthrough finally came five minutes before the interval when slack passing from Cabinteely gifted UCD position, and the home side broke with purposes.

A few passes later, and Collie O’Neill’s men had orchestrated a two-v-one, and red hot Ryan Swan coolly curled a right-footed effort past the diving Hyland.

Cabinteely were visibly rocked, and Swan was to ruthlessly double the lead three minutes later when he showed the defender a clean pair of heels as he raced onto Benson’s ball. Bearing down on goal, the inform striker struck early and buried the ball into the net.

A mere minute later, and Swan completed his hattrick; this time it was his left foot that did the damage as the UCD striker scored ninth goal of the season.

At this stage, it was perhaps inconceivable to imagine a Cabinteely comeback, yet remarkably there was time for one more goal in the first half.

Having defended so many successfully themselves, Cabo made the most of a rare corner and when the Students failed to clear, Shane O’Neill rifled the ball with his left foot into the roof of the net to bring a hectic six minute spell to a close.

If the first half ended amid drama, the second half certainly started with it as a 46^th minute lunge by Cabinteely’s Stephen Dunne on Gary O’Neill resulted in a straight red for the visiting defender. Play was held up for three minutes as players from both sides remonstrated, and UCD’s Mark Langtry was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch after appearing to strike a Cabinteely player with a raised hand.

The sides eventually got back to playing football, and UCD started scoring again in the 53^rd minute when Jamie Doyle broke down the left and his low cross was converted at the near post by captain Robbie Benson.

Things went from bad to worse for Cabo a minute later, as Doyle broke down the left again and saw his cross fumbled into his own goal by Cabinteely goalkeeper Sean Hyland.

Not content with their lead, UCD went three at the back and brought on another striker and maintained their dominance. O’Neill’s goal for the visitors before half time was a distant memory, and indeed I began to doubt myself that it even happened.

On 72 minutes, Cabinteely’s Gerard Pender found himself in the corner, and proceeded to nutmeg twice with consecutive touches, but turned from Messi to messy as he soon lost the ball upon entering the UCD box.

With the game effectively over as a contest, the niggle that had crept into the game in the match disappeared again as both sides exchanged position with little of consequence happening…for a whole eight minutes.

The seventh goal of the evening went the way of the homeside, as UCD captain Robbie Benson received a clever ball and raced through on goal on 80 minutes. With just the keeper to beat, he selflessly rolled the ball to his left for Swan to score his fourth of the night and tenth of the season.

Gary O’Neill almost scored the greatest goal ever in injury time, as he danced through the Cabinteely defence, pirouetting on the ball before seeing his effort saved by the outstretched boot of Sean Hyland.

That was to prove to be the last action of the game as Collie O’Neill’s UCD leapfrogged Wexford Youths into second place on the table. For the league’s newest club, there was little to be positive about and the south county Dublin side must now dust themselves down for the visit of Athlone Town next weekend.

UCD: Niall Corbet; Michael Langtry (Conor Cannon ’53), Mick Leahy, Ryan McLaughlin, Tomas Boyle (Maxi Kougoun ‘81); Chris Mulhall, Dylan Watts (Jack Watson ’70), Robbie Benson, Gary O’Neill, Jamie Doyle; Ryan Swan.

Subs not used: Conor Mackey, Sean Coyne, Adam Harney, Eoin Kirwan.

Booked: Langtry (47), Boyle (48)

Cabinteely: Sean Hyland; Aaron Brilly (Daniel Campbell ‘54), Josh Quinlivan (Jamie Broderick 82), Kevin Knight, Jamie McGlynn; Shane O’Neil, Gerard Pender, Stephen Dunne, John McKeown (Lloyd Cairns 84), Evan Finnegan; Stephen Hanley.

Subs not used: Ross Broderick, Bobinel Mazono, Conor Foley

Booked: Finnegan (24), McGlynn (42), O’Neill (75).

Sent off: Dunne (46)

Referee: Marc Lynch

Attendance: 214.

Extratime.ie man of the Match: Ryan Swan (U.C.D)