- Stephen Pollard
- Sat, Jul 20 2013
Shamrock Rovers missed the chance to close within six points of leaders St Patrick's Athletic after a frustrating one all draw with UCD on Friday night.
After a cagey opening 20 minutes the Hoops took the lead through striker Eamon Zayed, his first league goal for the club.
In a game Rovers dominated, UCD stole a point on 65 minutes. Robbie Benson latching onto a Dean Clarke cross for his 5th goal of the season.
The Hoops could have won it late on but substitute Conor McCormack had his shot blocked off the line by James Kavanagh.
After a quiet opening Shamrock Rovers had the first half chance of the game on 16 minutes. A free kick from Sean O'Connor was met by Ken Oman. He headed the ball down toward goal but it was hooked clear by Hugh Douglas.
Just moments later Rovers began to open up the visitors a little bit more. Some good passing from James Chambers and Stephen Rice opened up space at the edge of the box for the home side's top marksman this campaign Ronan Finn. His shot was comfortable for McGinley.
UCD, as they so often do against their near neighbours, caught Rovers on the break. A ball into the feet of Dean Clarke from Robbie Creevy.
It was immediately laid off to Craig Walsh. His shot looked destined for the goal before swerving to the left of Richard Brush's post.
Shamrock Rovers broke the deadlock on 23 minutes. Rice battled to get his shot away at the edge of the area. He did and when it deflected off UCD captain Dave O'Connor it was only ever going to fall to one man.
Zayed was quickest to react and took one touch midway inside the Students box before slotting the ball confidently past McGinley to open his league account for Rovers.
The game went flat after Zayed's opener. The next piece of action came just after the half hour mark.
Rice found space 25 yards out from goal and let fly, his shot zoomed past McGinley's post with the keeper beaten.
Rice went for goal again on 34 minutes, this time his shot, which was going wide, deflected off goalscorer Zayed and forced McGinley into a smart stop.
Rovers had an opportunity to make the Students pay for some lax pressing in midfield before half time.
Rice and Finn combined for the latter to get a shot away. The Artane midfielder scuffed his shot wide though, with McGinley scampering to get close to it.
Rice, who was having a superb first half should have doubled the Hoops advantage on the stroke of half time.
A cross from Conor Powell for Zayed was headed down by the Libyan international for Rice. He tried to take the shot on the half volley and blazed it over from close range.
Rovers continued pressing and Zayed looked to be enjoying himself as a cross from Powell was headed down by the front man but Finn couldn't latch onto it and it was cleared.
UCD almost got a freak equaliser on 55 minutes, a free kick from all of 40 yards by Walsh was meant as a cross. It evaded everyone before bouncing inside the six yard box, forcing Brush into a last ditch stop.
A sloppy pass from Oman brought about an opportunity for UCD. Walsh pounced on the slack pass and burst past McCormack. He had space in front of him but opted against continuing his run. Instead the former Hoop unleashed a thunderbolt of a strike that whizzed wide of Brush's post.
Oman was causing all sorts of trouble for the students at set pieces and should have grabbed the home side's second on 63 minutes. O'Connor's corner was meant for Derek Foran at the front post, he missed the header and it fell to Oman who smashed the ball straight at McGinley.
With 25 minutes left on the clock, the Students grabbed an equaliser. Dean Clarke won the ball on the right and whipped it across goal. The striker's cross was perfectly placed between Oman and Foran for Robbie Benson to flick the ball past a despairing Brush to stun the Hoops faithful.
Pat Sullivan was inches from giving the Hoops the lead. Rice slipped the full back in on goal and he fizzed his shot across goal but it could not catch the inside of McGinley's post.
O'Connor, who has scored three goal of the season contenders in recent weeks, tried his luck at adding a 4th to the tally.
He received the ball from Sullivan before letting fly. His shot flew past McGinley but unfortunately for Hoops fans it also went past the post.
With just moments of normal time remaining Rovers thought they had snatched a winner. The ball bobbled around in the box before falling to Conor McCormack. His shot was blocked but the rebound fell to the Dundalk native and his follow up was cleared off the line by James Kavanagh.
O'Connor could have won it for Rovers in the dying seconds of added time. McGinley punched the ball clear from a Gary McCabe cross and when it fell to O'Connor there was only one thought in his mind.
He let fly from distance and McGinley stopped it with his feet as the ball inched towards goal to deny Rovers a valuable three points.
Shamrock Rovers: Richard Brush; Pat Sullivan, Ken Oman, Derek Foran, Conor Powell; James Chambers (Conor McCormack 46), Stephen Rice; Thomas Stewart (Karl Sheppard 73), Ronan Finn (Gary McCabe 85), Sean O'Connor; Eamon Zayed
Subs not used: Shane Fagan (GK), Danny Ledwith, Jason McGuinness, Shane Robinson
Booked: Finn (47), Rice (After Full Time)
UCD: Mark McGinley; Gareth Matthews, Hugh Douglas, David O'Connor, Mark Langtry; Craig Walsh (Barry McCabe 85), Robbie Creevy, James Kavanagh, Robbie Benson, Sean Russell; Dean Clarke.
Subs not used: Conor O'Donnell (GK), Gary Burke, Thomas O'Halloran, Samir Belhout, Tyrone McNelis, Ayman Ben Mohamed.
Booked: Matthews (57), Langtry (90).
Referee: Paul McLaughlin
Attendance: 2,300 (estimate).
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Craig Walsh (UCD).
