League Report: UCD 2 - 3 Cabinteely

By Alex Dunne at the UCD Bowl

Kieran Marty Waters came back to haunt former employers UCD on Friday night as his brace and a goal from Anto Dolan helped Cabo defeat the Students for the first time in 2017.

The first chance of the game fell the way of Cabo, with Ryan Swan sling an effort wide of Niall Corbet's goal.

Cabo settled back into their defensive shape and let UCD have most of the ball, but only Evan Osam provided any cutting edge early on, with a good chance in the seventh minute from a one-two with  Jason McClelland, ending in an effort which was well saved by Mick Kelly in the Cabo goal.

Cabo's cutting edge was lacking on the break and UCD nearly punished them in the 26^th minute when McClelland met Simon Power's cross, but he headed it well over.

With ten minutes to go in the first half Waters gave the game the goal it had been crying out for, after a low driven cross from Karl Byrne, the Cabo number ten was on hand to stab home into the empty net after the ball ping-ponged through several players in the UCD box.

In the 40^th minute, a threatening ball from deep from Waters found Swan after a great interception,,, but Swan's pull back at the end line was easily cleared by Maxi Kouogun.

Another mislaid home pass and Cabo’s Rob McGee got away on the break, he pulled his pass back to Dean Casey, but the left winger drove his 18 yard shot wide.

Another chance for Cabo came with just a minute to go when Casey somehow couldn't turn the ball in on the line, with Kouogun luckily being able to clear after another low driven cross from Byrne.

Waters and Georgie Kelly traded close range headers that went just over before Swan missed a virtually open goal in the 54^th minute off a Casey corner.

UCD found their equaliser three minutes later, with a ball from deep from Dan Tobin expertly controlled on the chest by Kelly, who took one touch and smashed the ball home to level the scores.

But just two minutes later, a foul from behind by Josh Collins on Swan gifted Cabo a chance from the penalty spot and Waters provided a smashing finish to hand the away side the lead once again.

It was all Cabo with Waters' cross just missing Casey, before in the 71^st minute another cross from the same corner from Aaron Robinson found Anto Dolan, who smashed home for 3-1.

UCD countered again in the 78^th minute when a Timmy Molloy corner was turned in by Kouogun, setting up a tense final ten minutes with both sides frantic to score another goal.

Waters and Rob McGee both went close for Cabo, while McGee was on hand down the other end to deny Sean Byrne impressively with a great block.

The final chance came from a UCD long ball into Collins, who nodded down to the onrushing Kelly, but his volley was struck over to conclude a breathless final exchange.

UCD will be made to rue the lack of cutting edge for all the possession they had, particularly in the first half, while Cabo pick up solid and welcome three points.

UCD AFC: Niall Corbet; Dan Tobin, Josh Collins, Maxim Kouogun, Evan Osam; Simon Power (Neil Farrugia 46), Greg Sloggett, Cian Kavanagh (Rob Manley 74), Timmy Molloy, Jason McClelland (Sean Byrne 80); Georgie Kelly.

Subs Not Used: Conor Kearns, Sean Coyne, Liam Scales, Conor Crowley.

Yellow Cards:  Kelly (79).

CABINTEELY FC: Mick Kelly; Karl Byrne, Conor Keeley, Kevin Knight, Rob McGee; Jack Watson, Aaron Robinson, Anto Dolan, Dean Casey (Joe Doyle 84); Kieran 'Marty' Waters, Ryan Swan.

Subs Not Used: Dean Mahon, Sean Fitzpatrick, Cory Galvin, Evan Galvin, Daire Doyle, Michael Scott.

Yellow Cards:  Waters (33), Byrne (38), Casey (62).

Referee: Adriano Reale

Attendance: 450 (estimate).

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Kieran 'Marty' Waters (Cabinteely).