Drogheda United -v- UCD

• Emmet Maloney
• Mon, Jun 20 2011


Both Drogheda and UCD will be looking to get back to winning ways in this game at Hunky Dorys Park after last Friday’s maulings at the hands of St Pats and Sligo respectively. (Kick off 7.45pm).

Both of these sides are struggling in the league and each will feel that it is a fixture from which they can claim maximum points. Ultimately, the winner may well feel that this game was a turning point in their season.

The home team had been on a mini revival with three wins in four outings but that particular bandwagon came to a shuddering halt last time out when St Pats scored three goals in the last quarter of the match to run out 4-1 winners.

After the game Mick Cooke was happy to a point, his team having been well in the game up to the 70th minute when Pats went into overdrive and put The Boynesiders to the sword. He will be looking for the return of the defensive solidity that had been the hallmark of that revival to come back to the fore. In his own words he felt that most of the goals against Pats had been down to ”schoolboy errors”.

However he has no injury worries ahead of this clash and will be looking to close the gap between the sides to three points. Mick gave his thoughts on the match. “The lads got a rousing reception after the Pats game, we didn’t deserve to lose so heavily, but that didn't really reflect the effort on the pitch. As it stands we are ahead of Galway and of course we are looking to catch UCD and go ahead of them. We will be confident of beating them despite failing to do so before on a number of occasions. The confidence is there now, we just have to show it on the pitch.”

UCD are riding the crest of a slump away from Belfield in the league, losing six of their last seven away games, and they have not won on the road since the opening day of the season, which was at Drogheda.

Added to that they have been on the receiving end of some ferocious hammerings with Sligo having put four past them, Shamrock Rovers topping that with six and back in May Derry went one better and slipped seven home. So you wouldn’t have to be Nostradamus to predict that confidence will be slipping and they will need a solid start to avoid another defeat.

Ger Barron and Robbie Creevy are both doubts for the trip just to add to the difficulties mounting up for Martin Russell. It should be borne in mind that this season UCD have beaten Drogheda three times (two league, one cup) with two of those victories coming at Hunky Dorys Park so the trip North may hold no great fears for The Students.

Drogheda United
Injured: Jack Flynn.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.

UCD
Injured: None.
Doubtful: Ger Barron (quad muscle), Robbie Creevy (leg muscle).
Suspended: None.

Referee: Padraig Sutton.
Paddy Power Odds: Drogheda 15/8; Draw 11/5; UCD 11/8.
Extratime prediction: A 3-1 home win.