League Report: Waterford United 0 - 1 UCD

Defender Michael Leahy scored with 15 minutes left to play at the RSC in Waterford to secure the points for UCD who will now prepare for a double header with Finn Harps as Collie O’Neill aims to bring his charges back to the Premier Division at the first attempt.

The outcome of this match at the RSC was important to both these sides for very different reasons. Waterford United and Roddy Collins were fighting to avoid the dubious honour of finishing at the foot of the table whilst UCD were looking for back to back victories to re-affirm a strong winning mentality into their squad before they take on Finn Harps at the UCD Bowl next Friday in the promotion play-off.

When the final whistle sounded it was Collie O’Neill’s side who left the pitch with full points.  Michael Leahy headed home from an inswinging Gary O’Neill corner with a quarter of an hour left to play.

UCD should not have had to wait so long to open the scoring though. On 32 minutes Conor Cannon was alert and nipped in to snatch a loose pass from United keeper Robert Birdsall and will feel he could have done much better than forcing Birdsall to parry his shot wide and out for a corner.

The best chance of the half for the home side came as Anthony McAlavey slid a pass to Aaron O’Connor on the edge of Conor O’Donnell’s penalty area. O’Connor curled a superb effort towards goal which was only a matter of inches the wrong side of the post.

Worryingly for Collie O’Neill, who already had a lengthy injury list prior to kick-off ahead of the vital clashes with Finn Harps, Ryan McLaughlin had his game cut short on the stroke of half-time and may now face a test to be fit for next Friday night’s match with Harps.  

In the second half Waterford United found another gear and there is no doubt that Roddy Collins will wonder how his side did not manage to take a point from this match. Cory Galvin had a smart effort from outside the box well saved by Conor O’Donnell and Galvin will wonder how his effort 10 minutes from time failed to hit the net.  He collected the ball on his chest and cut passed two defenders before blazing over when the goal was wide open.  Adam Prendergast found himself with a similar opportunity shortly afterwards but his effort at goal was blocked and cleared to safety.

UCD created chances of their own in the second period. The best of which fell to Republic of Ireland U19 international Daire O’Connor. His effort skipped off the crossbar of Matt Connor who replaced Birdsall in the United goal at halftime and sailed over when he should have really added to Leahy’s strike.

Anthony McAlavey curled an effort on to the crossbar in the dying moments of the match for the hosts who left the pitch reduced to 10 men following a second caution for Shane Dineen in the 90th minute.

United will look to next season. Roddy Collins will assess his squad now that the curtain has been drawn on a challenging season for the Blues. The Dubliner will aim to shape it into a side who will be competing at the top end of the table next season.  

For Collie O’Neill and UCD the journey continues. The experience his side gained from their Europa League outings this season will serve them well in the forthcoming play-off tie with Finn Harps and any match up with one of the sides at the lower end of the Premier Division table who are struggling to put any daylight between themselves.

If UCD can rediscover the scintillating form they showed when they put together a sting of 17 unbeaten matches earlier in the season they will take one huge step back towards the Premier Division.
 

Waterford United: Robert Birdsall (Matthew Connor ‘45); Robbie Buckley (Dean Reidy ‘58), Shaun Corcoran, Shane Dineen, Shane Mackey; Brian Nolan (c), Anthony McAlavey, Evan Galvin, Cory Galvin; Adam Prendergast, Aaron O’Connor (Ethan Boyle ‘65).

Subs Not Used: Mark Walsh.

Yellow Cards: Dineen (73).

Red Cards: Dineen (90).

UCD:Conor O’Donnell; Mark Langtry (Sean Coyne ‘66), Michael Leahy, Thomas Boyle (Eoin Kirwan ‘45), Ryan McLaughlin (Dan Tobin ‘45); Gary O’Neill; Daire O’Connor, Jamie Doyle, Dylan Watts; Ryan Swan, Conor Cannon.

Subs Not Used: Niall Corbett (GK), Maxi Kouogun, Adam Harney, Jack Watson.

Yellow Cards: Watts (53).

Referee: Rhona Daly.

Attendance: 350.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match:Michael Leahy (Waterford United).