UCD 3 - 0 Galway United

UCD struck three times at Belfield on Monday night to consign Galway United to their sixth consecutive league defeat and move Martin Russell’s men nine points clear of the bottom two.

There was little to write home about for the majority of the opening half of this game with UCD looking a little out of sorts and Galway unable to capitalise on the chances that came their way.

The Students lined up in an unusual 4-4-2 formation, perhaps sensing that Galway might not need as much containment as other opposition of late. With Samir Belhout alongside him, striker Graham Rusk flourished, full of inventive energy from the off. But the team as a whole didn’t settle into their new shape until the 34th minute when a stonewall penalty put them ahead.

Prior to that Galway had spurned two gilt edged chances to take the lead themselves. The first arrived after 25 minutes when a horrible mix up between Yael Haro and David O’Connor presented Stephen Walsh with a clean path to goal from 35 yards out. He advanced with purpose but then clattered his shot left and wide of Ger Barron’s goal from 20 yards.

Five minutes later Walsh combined with Bobby Ryan to set up Alan Murphy but, dead centre and just 18 yards from goal, he stabbed the ball wastefully over the UCD bar. They were chances that the Tribesmen would bitterly regret.

Eleven minutes before the break Paul Sinnott dithered over the ball waiting for his goalkeeper to come and collect. Belhout dashed onto the scene, scooping the ball away and, as Fleming made a belated attempt to clear, the striker was sent sprawling. Dean Marshall pounded the spot kick to the left and UCD were ahead.

From this point the Students found their rhythm and proceeded to run Galway ragged. Five minute later, Belhout touched a lovely ball off to Marshall on the left and his superb cross found Darren Meenan at the back post where he only had to guide his header past Fleming for UCD’s second.

If Galway hoped to regain their ground in the second half they were to be disappointed. UCD had reverted to their more trusted 4-5-1 and proceeded to run the show with some flair. The goalscorers Marshall and Meenan were particularly impressive as the ball sped around the midfield being ushered into intricate triangles without ever being overly encouraged to test Fleming’s agility.

However, a third for the Students did come on 70 minutes when a long ball from David O’Connor found it’s way out to Meenan out on the right. He made his way into the box before tucking a perfect pull back into the path of Belhout who lifted the ball into the roof of the Galway net.

Galway occasionally worked their way forward but never really looked liked scoring. Truthfully, they were outclassed on the night by a UCD team that were full value for their three goals.

UCD: Ger Barron; Paul O’Conor, Yael Haro, David O’Connor, Daniel Ledwith; Dean Marshall, Robbie Creevy (Sean Russell, 14), Paul Corry, Darren Meenan; Graham Rusk (James Kavanagh, 86), Samir Belhout (Stephen Doyle, 78).
Subs not used: Mark McGinley, Sean Harding, Gavin Colton, Barry McCabe.
Bookings: Rusk (58).

Galway United: Greg Fleming; Shaun Kelly, Paul Sinnott, Stephen Feeney (Enda Curran, 71), Eduardo Dusi (Rory Gartland, 17); Bobby Ryan, Gary Kelly, Sean Kelly, Karl Moore (Shane Keogh, 56); Alan Murphy, Stephen Walsh.
Subs not used: Conor Winn, David Cullen, Paul Smith.
Bookings: Fleming (33), Shaun Kelly (59).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
Attendance: 226.
extratime.ie Man of the Match: Darren Meenan.