- Gareth O'Reilly
- Fri, Aug 08 2014
UCD and Bohemians played out a scoreless draw at Belfield on Friday night in a result which does little to improve either club’s league standing.
The game began in a quiet fashion with neither side giving the assembled public much to cheer for. The opening 15 minutes petered out with chances hard to come by. However, after that, Bohs began to stamp their authority on the game with Stephen Beattie leading the away side’s attacking threat.
Kevin Devaney created one of The Gypsies best chances just after the 20 minute mark as he drove past Gareth Matthews on the right hand side before playing the ball across the box to the idle Eoin Wearen. The impressive midfielder then hit just wide of the home side’s goal with Niall Corbett well beaten.
With chances at a premium the game looked set to head into the break without incident until two minutes from the break. Anto Murphy, rising for a corner, landed awkwardly resulting in ambulance personnel attending to the player on the pitch for several minutes. The former College player was then lifted onto a stretcher and carried off to a waiting ambulance.
James Kavanagh's mistake at the start of the second half almost benefited his brother Paddy, when the younger of the brothers miss kicked straight into the path of Devaney. He slid the ball back to Paddy Kavanagh but the Bohs player failed to hit the target from eight yards out.
Bohs continued to press for the game's opening goal as Devaney fired a low ball across the box that found Dinny Corcoran, with the Bohs front man failing to keep his effort below the goal frame.
Just after the hour mark Bohs fans thought they had taken the lead as Roberto Lopes ventured up field before whacking a shot into the side netting from twenty yards out.
With Bohs still well on top Devaney had the confidence to storm through a bunch of UCD players to get into the box although his eventual effort was blocked down well by a courageous UCD rear guard.
Just one minute later Aidan Price forced Corbett into a fantastic reaction save as his point blank header from eight yards out was tipped just wide by the keeper who is standing in for the regular first choice goalkeeper Conor O'Donnell who was on the bench due to a broken finger.
The last few minutes of injury time saw Karl Moore go close for Bohemians, followed by Chris Mulhall of UCD attempting to put a spanner in the works with an effort of his own.
But in one of the last kicks of the game Corcoran, from two yards out, should have secured his side the three points, and he would have done but for some heroic defending by Ian Ryan who threw his body at the ball to give UCD a precious point in their fight to stay in the Premier Division.
UCD: Niall Corbett; Gareth Matthews, Hugh Douglas, James Kavanagh, Ian Ryan; Tom O'Halloran (Aymen Ben Mohamed 67), Colm Crowe, Robbie Benson, Robbie Creevy, Timmy Molloy (Samir Belhout 70); Conor Cannon (Chris Mulhall 84).
Subs Not Used: Conor O'Donnell (gk), Gregory Sloggett, Gary Burke, Sean Coyne.
Booked: James Kavanagh (81)
Bohemians: Dean Delany; Derek Pender, Roberto Lopes, Aidan Price, Dan Byrne; Patrick Kavanagh (Karl Moore 70), Kevin Devaney (Jason Byrne 79), Anto Murphy (Dave Mulcahy 45+1), Eoin Wearen; Dinny Corcoran, Stephen Beattie.
Subs Not Used: Jason Moore, Jack Memery, Keith Buckley, Craig Walsh, Aaron Shanahan (gk).
Booked: Stephen Beattie (34), Roberto Lopes (39), Eoin Wearan (85)
Referee: Kevin O'Regan
Attendance: 400 (estimate)
Extratime Man Of The Match: Kevin Devaney (Bohemians)
