UCD AFC 4 - 0 Kildare County FC

UCD made it five wins from five to continue their perfect start to the season with a comfortable 4-0 victory over a hapless Kildare county side. Ciaran Kilduff and manager Martin Russell picked up both Extratime.ie manager and player of the month before kickoff due to the student’s excellent form this season.

A double from Evan McMillan and further goals from Robbie Creevy and Chris Mulhall saw UCD easily sweep aside Kildare County at the Bowl on Friday night. It was the league leaders' fifth win on the spin but table proppers Kildare's worries deepen as they shipped their 16th goal in three outings.

Kildare started the game in a 5-3-2 formation seemingly to stop the flowing attacks from the students and sure up the defence after an 8-0 loss to Sporting Fingal last week.

UCD threatened in the opening ten minutes and should have been two nil up after Brian Shorthall had two glorious chances from headers to give the students an early lead.

The students continued to probe for an opening as the Kildare County side gave them too much space and time on the ball. Ronan Finn came very close to scoring in the 11th minute after neat through ball from John Reilly. Finn beat the defender only to see his shot go into the side netting.

UCD were running the ‘Thoroughbreds’ ragged, as their defence looked to scramble the ball away at every opportunity. Kildare looked a lot hungrier after last week’s heavy defeat, but it was pretty much one-way traffic in the first 20 minutes.

UCD eventually broke the deadlock on 19 minutes when Evan McMillan nodded in from close range. A free kick floated in from Chris Mulhall on left, found the head of Kilduff who headed it goal wards. The keeper could only parry it off the cross bar into the path of McMillan who had the easiest of finishes from two yards.

As the rain began to pour down, the students began to bomb forward using the wide men well, in particular John Reilly who saw a lot of the ball in the first half.

Robbie Creevy had a great chance to double their lead on 31 minutes after his powerful half volley on the edge of the box whistled by the opposition post. Kildare had their first real chance of the first half after Eoin Kavanagh’s 20-yard drive was struck goal wards only to see it go straight at the keeper.

Ciaran Kilduff should have opened his account just before the half when dribbled unchallenged in the Kildare box only to he is left strike slide past the right post. The students could have been four or five nil up as the referee sounded the half time whistle.

UCD started the second half knowing they had to be more clinical to see off the challenge of Kildare. Kildare changed formation to 5-4-1 leaving just Leslie Kelly to play the lone striker up front.

The student’s bright start to the second half paid off as they wrapped up all 3 points in an 8-minute period. Another Chris Muhall free kick from the left found the head of McMillan who grabbed his second of the game. A minute later Robbie Creevy made it 3-0, as walked through a static Kildare defence and slotted home with a clinical finish.

Mulhall then made it 4-0 on the hour after his low flighted free kick beat Colin Cassidy at his near post. On reflection Cassidy will know he should of done better to keep the strike out.

Kildare had a chance of their own on 67 minutes after Noel Byrne’s strike was excellently saved by Billy Brennan in the UCD goals. Both teams made a number of changes as UCD took off Andrew Boyle and goal scorer Chris Mulhall. Kildare brought on Karl Hegarty and Matt Byrne to freshen up the team.

A nasty ankle injury to captain Patrick Mahon on 75 minutes capped a miserable night in the Belfield Bowl for Kildare, as they played out the final 13 minutes with 10 men. Mahon left the field on a stretcher. All involved with Extratime.ie wish him a speedy recovery.

David McMillan should of made it five in the closing stages, after he attempted a cheeky back heel which was cleared by the Kildare defence.

The students clearly deserved their win, and in hindsight never needed to get out of first gear throughout the game. They will face tougher challenges ahead with a top of the table clash against Shelbourne to come next week.

UCD: Billy Brennan; Gareth Matthews, Andrew Boyle (Michael Leahy 66), Evan McMillan, Brian Shortall; John Reilly, Robbie Creevy (John Dineen 72), Ronan Finn, Chris Mulhall (Keith Ward 66); David McMillan, Ciaran Kilduff.
Subs not used: Ger Barron (gk), Peter McMahon.

Booked: None.

Kildare County: Colin Cassidy; Daithi Garry, Alan Thorpe, Thomas McLoughlin (Karl Hegarty 69), Colin Osbourne, Paul Rigney; Noel Byrne, Paddy Mahon, Eoin Kavanagh (Matt Byrne 75), Cathal Brady; Leslie Kelly (David O’Riordan 64).
Subs not used: Kevin McDonnell (gk), Stephen Burke.

Booked: Garry (22), Osbourne (40), Kelly (43), Byrne (53), O’Riordan (70).

Referee: Rob Rogers.

Attendance: 250

Extratime Man of the Match: Chris Mulhall (UCD) - two assists and and a goal capped an excellent performance from Mulhall on the night.