UCD -v- Dundalk
Credit:
This match has cup final significance for the Students as a win will
secure them top-flight football for next season. Even if Galway
overcome Sporting Fingal at the Morton, the seven point difference
between them and UCD will be insurmountable with two games to go.
Taking into account the movement of both the Students and Dundalk between the divisions in recent years, the fact remains that the Lilywhites have not won in Dublin against UCD since November 1997, and that may prove cause for thought for a Dundalk side who shipped four goals in their defeat to Sligo Rovers last Saturday.
With four wins from their previous five before that, Ian Foster’s men will be looking to bounce back here and, notwithstanding last week’s result, their attacking prowess may well cause the home side problems should UCD open up and go for the win from the outset.
Matthew Tipton’s form in the last month has seen his league tally rise to seven goals, while Ross Gaynor on the wing bagged two in that defeat to the Bit O’Red last week, which also brought him up to seven in the scoring charts. Add to that Fahrudin Kuduzovic, who shot up from that tally to ten with a hat-trick against Drogheda a fortnight ago and it’s clear Martin Russell will have his work cut out to curtail the attacking threat at the Bowl.
The Students though, will head into this one buoyed by their six-point-haul in their last two games. A commanding victory at Terryland Park last weekend was preceded by that epic win at the Bowl two weeks ago against Shamrock Rovers.
“It’s not just the points that have pleased me,” said UCD boss Martin Russell. “It’s the performances that won them. With three games to go there is still work to be done but we are conditioned to look up, not down.”
UCD
Injured: Sean Russell
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Dundalk
Injured: Alan Cawley
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Wayne Hatswell
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
Extratime.ie Prediction: 2-2
Taking into account the movement of both the Students and Dundalk between the divisions in recent years, the fact remains that the Lilywhites have not won in Dublin against UCD since November 1997, and that may prove cause for thought for a Dundalk side who shipped four goals in their defeat to Sligo Rovers last Saturday.
With four wins from their previous five before that, Ian Foster’s men will be looking to bounce back here and, notwithstanding last week’s result, their attacking prowess may well cause the home side problems should UCD open up and go for the win from the outset.
Matthew Tipton’s form in the last month has seen his league tally rise to seven goals, while Ross Gaynor on the wing bagged two in that defeat to the Bit O’Red last week, which also brought him up to seven in the scoring charts. Add to that Fahrudin Kuduzovic, who shot up from that tally to ten with a hat-trick against Drogheda a fortnight ago and it’s clear Martin Russell will have his work cut out to curtail the attacking threat at the Bowl.
The Students though, will head into this one buoyed by their six-point-haul in their last two games. A commanding victory at Terryland Park last weekend was preceded by that epic win at the Bowl two weeks ago against Shamrock Rovers.
“It’s not just the points that have pleased me,” said UCD boss Martin Russell. “It’s the performances that won them. With three games to go there is still work to be done but we are conditioned to look up, not down.”
UCD
Injured: Sean Russell
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Dundalk
Injured: Alan Cawley
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Wayne Hatswell
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
Extratime.ie Prediction: 2-2
