Report: Shamrock Rovers 1 – 1 UCD

Shamrock Rovers and UCD played out what eventually became an exciting one-all draw at Tolka Park last night. Derek Doyle gave the visitors the lead midway through the first half when he scored direct from a free kick on the edge of the box. UCD looked liked they were going to hold on to their lead and pick up three vital points, but with just two minutes remaining substitute Padraig Amond popped up in the box and ensured Rovers got their share of the points.

Rovers lined up without mainstays Barry Murphy and Barry Ferguson. Murphy didn't recover from a minor operation in time, while Ferguson was dropped from the squad completely. Danny O'Connor dropped back to central defence and John Martin came in on the right hand side of midfield. Ian Bermingham returned from injury for the Students and Derek Doyle was given his first start of the season on the right wing. Shane Fitzgerald flirted between midfield and attack.

As early as the fifth minute the Rovers rearguard looked uncomfortable and Danny O'Connor was forced to clear for a corner. Minutes later UCD striker Paul Byrne broke away on the left but his cross with the outside of his boot was easily dealt with by Darragh Maguire.

The games first real opening fell to the home side. Left back Stapleton intercepted and went on to exchange passes with Sean O'Connor before looking for Dessie Baker in the box with a near post cross. Baker knocked the ball down into the path of Sean O'Connor but the former St Pat's man could only find the side netting with his half volley. UCD registered their first effort on goal immediately after that when Byrne won a header from a corner but could only direct it weakly into the arms of Rovers stand in keeper Karl Coleman. Coleman fumbled the ball before quickly grasping it again with both hands.

Centre back O'Connor and keeper Coleman again displayed a lack of decisiveness when the pacy Fitzgerald sought to get on the end of a Pat McWalter through ball. Two minutes after that O'Connor and Fitzgerald were involved in a similar situation when they both chased a Byrne flick on. O'Connor opted to foul and UCD were awarded a free kick level with the eighteen yard line on the right hand side of the box.

Alan Mahon ran over the ball and Derek Doyle sent in a curling low shot into the crowded penalty. The ball swung in behind a number of attackers and found its way into the net low down at the far post.

Rovers looked to respond quickly and had a number of half chances before the half time whistle. Sean O'Connor won back possession in midfield and ran at goal as UCD retreated backwards. O'Connor failed to connect sweetly and his effort bobbled wide. A Baker cross to the far post led to loud penalty appeals when it looked like Mahon had handled - referee Hancock wasn't interested though. Martin saw his speculative shot from twenty five yards curl wide.

The final ten to fifteen minutes of the half were dire. Rovers insisted on launching long wayward balls at their front two - even if they had managed to gain possession the gap between the Rovers midfield and attack was so big that Baker and Tadgh Purcell would have struggled to hold onto the ball long enough for support to arrive.

Scully made two changes at the break. Alan Murphy and Eoin Doyle were introduced as Rovers moved to a far more attacking formation. Byrne again went close when from eight yards he met Brian King's corner with his head but failed to steer his effort on target.

Substitutes Murphy and Doyle combined well just before the hour mark, but Murphy's volley from Doyle's knock down took a deflection and bounced away to safety. Doyle then had a volley of his own charged down. Byrne then wasted another chance when he headed over the top from eight yards. UCD keeper Matt Gregg needed to be on his toes when Doyle tried his luck from outside the box.

At this stage Rovers were going all out for a goal - they put UCD under plenty of pressure but were unable to find a way through. The longer the game went on with Rovers needing an equaliser, the more they lost their shape. College broke away quickly on a number of occasions and their best chance for a second goal came when Fitzgerald picked out the unmarked Byrne in the box with a pinpoint cross. Byrne looked certain to score - he was a mere six yards from goal and the cross had cut the Rovers keeper out of the equation. It wasn't to be and his shot came back off the post and landed in the ever so grateful hands of Coleman.

Rovers continued to push more and more men forward but the UCD defence stayed compact and tight. The game had become an open affair with both sides looking for a goal and the action was swinging from one end of the the pitch to the other. With just six minutes left on the clock it looked like UCD had handed the Hoops they lifeline they needed - Ian Bermingham fouled Baker in the box and Hancock pointed to the spot - much to the displeasure of the young left back. For the third game in succession UCD had given away a penalty.

Tadgh Purcell took to the task at hand but UCD keeper Matt Gregg pulled off a fine save when he got a strong right hand to the ball. Dessie Baker looked to get in on the rebound but the UCD defence crowded him out and cleared the danger.

It was looking like it was to be UCD's day, but that notion was squashed when Rovers grabbed a late equaliser with just two minutes of normal time remaining. Baker received the ball in the right wing position and this time opted to cut inside Bermingham as opposed to trying to take it to the byline. With a yard of space Baker flicked the ball into the area with the outside of his right foot. Substitute Padraig Amond had made a great run across the front of the UCD defenders - he collected the ball and turned swiftly before striking the ball neatly into the far corner of the net.

In the three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the half, both sides were to have a chance to win the game. Byrne missed another sitter from six yards and Tadgh Purcell's snapshot went narrowly wide.

Shamrock Rovers: Karl Coleman; Ger O'Brien, Darragh Maguire, Danny O'Connor, Darren Stapleton (Padraig Amond 81); Jonathan Martin (Alan Murphy 46), Eric McGill (Eoin Doyle 46), Stephen Rice, Sean O'Connor; Tadhg Purcell, Dessie Baker.
Subs not used: John Perkins, Corie Tracey.

Booked: D O'Connor, S O'Connor.

UCD: Matt Gregg; Alan Mahon (Brian Shortall 36), Conor Kenna, Alan McNally, Ian Bermingham; Pat McWalter, Brian King, Ronan Finn, Derek Doyle (Timmy Purcell 74); Paul Byrne, Shane Fitzgerald.
Subs not used: Billy Brennan, Killian Gallagher, Darren Forsythe.

Booked: None.

Referee: Damien Hancock.

Attendance: 1,062