League Report: UCD 3 - 1 Shamrock Rovers II

Macdara Ferris reports from UCD Bowl

UCD got their second win of the season on Friday night as they beat Shamrock Rovers II 3-1 in an entertaining affair at the UCD Bowl. This was the first time that these clubs had ever met in the First Division with the teams managed on the night by Andy Myler and Aidan Price both of whom were part of the Hoops team who played in the second tier back in 2006.

There was a reasonable sized crowd in attendance at the UCD Bowl. With extratime.com the only media organisation with someone in the press box, it freed up some space for more supporters amongst the allotted 200 individuals allowed into the stadium.

The pleasant summer’s evening in Belfield was made even more enjoyable for those supporting the home side when they raced into a 2-0 lead inside the first quarter of an hour. It was a bit harsh on the young Hoops side who had started the game well but couldn’t get on the scoresheet in the opening half.

Having said that the Students once they got their two goal lead looked the better team. While Rovers’ Thomas Oluwa had a number of chances in the first half for the Hoops, he didn’t really trouble Lorcan Healy in the UCD goal.

Just after Oluwa’s first chance, the visitors created a couple of their own - both times with Colm Whelan on the end of them and it was with the striker’s second chance that Andy Myler’s men went ahead. The Hoops II team didn’t deal well with a deeply hit free kick and when it was headed back across the six yard box Whelan was on hand to tap it home.

The Students doubled their lead on 14 minutes. German goalkeeper Leon Pohls won’t have been too happy with the concession as he was beaten with a well taken free kick but from a very wide position. Pohls was better with his hands a few minutes later when he took a Rovers throw in after a deeply lying UCD defence cleared into the deserted Hoops half.

Referee Mark Moynihan seemed happy to get his cards out in the first half much to the chagrin of those vocally supporting Rovers – even Pohls went in the book for a bit of backchat that the assistant referee could easily hear in the quiet surroundings of the Bowl.

Aidan Price made a couple of switches at half time and within a minute of the restart the Hoops had halved the deficit. Kavanagh’s deep free kick was headed home by Thomas Oluwa but it didn’t take long for the Students to restore their two goal cushion.

Sinclair Armstrong brought some more physicality up front for the Hoops and he needed to be well marshalled by Josh Collins at the back for the Students who made it 3-1 seven minutes into the second half. Liam Kerrigan was given acres of space at the back post and his downward header gave Pohls no chance.

The home side continued to make chances. On 72 minutes a beautifully weighted Paul Doyle pass left the Rovers back three stranded. Whelan took it on his chest and his lob just dropped wide and beyond the post.

Late on Pohls pulled off a superb save somehow clawing away Liam Kerrigan’s far post header and his team still await their first victory of the season.  

UCD: Lorcan Healy; Evan Farrell Josh Collins, Evan Osam; Michael Gallagher, Jack Keaney ©, Dara Keane (Eoin Farrell, 84), Paul Doyle, Mark Dignam (Evan Weir, 90); Liam Kerrigan, Colm Whelan (Yoyo Mahdy, 76).

Subs not used: Eoghan O'Sullivan (gk), Harry McEvoy, Danu Kinsella Bishop, Luke Boore.

Booked: None.

Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Alex Dunne (Oisin Hand, 86), Sean Callan, Adam Wells (Jordan Tallon, h/t); Max Murphy, Dean McMenamy (Sinclair Armstrong, h/t); Sean Brennan, Dylan Duffy; Brandon Kavanagh (Kevin Zeffi, 74), Darragh Nugent ©; Thomas Oluwa.

Subs not used: Kian Clarke (gk), Jamie Doyle, Peter Adigun.

Booked: Sean Callan (13), Leon Pohls (33), Dean McMenamy (39).

Referee: Mark Moynihan

Attendance: 0

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Colm Whelan (UCD).