- Gareth O'Reilly
- Fri, Oct 10 2014
On a cold night in Belfield the Students fell to a far superior Cork City side who put four beyond their hosts on Friday evening. Goals from Ross Gaynor, Billy Dennehy and a brace from Garry Buckley meant that John Caulfield left Dublin a very happy man.
UCD enjoyed lots of the early possession but it was Billy Dennehy who registered the game’s first shot as his 25 yard effort whizzed by O’Donnell’s right hand post.
Just minutes later Cork were able to celebrate as Ross Gaynor smashed in a “world beater” that gave Conor O’Donnell no chance of successfully keeping it out. The goal excited the travelling fans so much that a number of them ended up spilling out onto the pitch.
Fifteen minutes later Cork doubled their lead after John Dunleavy was bundled over inside the penalty area by Hugh Douglas. The UCD centre back was booked for his actions before Billy Dennehy stepped up to sneak his spot kick beyond Conor O’Donnell.
Cork should have been three in front just after the half hour mark when Billy Dennehy broke at speed. The former Shamrock Rovers man then floated a cross to the back post to the waiting John O’Flynn, his effort was clawed away by Conor O’Donnell. However the rebound fell to Mark O’Sullivan but the striker saw his effort forced off the line by the outstretched leg of Robbie Creevy.
The second half did not start well for the home side as two yellow cards in the space of two minutes for Samir Belhout meant he was forced to take the long walk past the Cork City fans back to the changing room just nine minutes after leaving them for the second half. UCD now down to ten men knew they would be in for a long night.
Shortly after the hour mark Garry Buckley made it 3-0 to the visitors as he slotted the ball beyond O’Donnell who at this stage must have been felt a little aggrieved about his defenders performance.
Just one minute later UCD should have got a goal back. First Benson tried his luck from 25 yards, the ball then rebounded off the legs of McNulty straight to Cannon who somehow managed to hit his effort over the bar from 6 yards out with the goal gapping.
With twenty minutes to go Mark O’Sullivan really should have made it four as the striker bore down on goal but with the ball bouncing at his feet the cork man could only smash the ball over the bar from 6 yards out.
However the goal scoring action was not over there as Garry Buckley got his second and Cork’s fourth of the game. The City player got on the end of a corner which he converted beyond O’Donnell at the second attempt.
That was all as referee Padraigh Sutton perhaps feeling for the Students a bit added on just the two extra minutes at the end of the ninety.
UCD: Conor O’Donnell, `Hugh Douglas, Ian Ryan, James Kavanagh, Gareth Matthews; Chris Mulhall (Timmy Molloy 75), Robbie Creevy, Robbie Benson, Gary Burke (Colm Crowe 62), Aymen Ben Mohamed (Conor Cannon 46); Samir Belhout
Subs Not Used: Niall Corbet (gk), Sean Coyne, Mark Langtry, Daniel Tobin
Yellow Cards: Chris Mulhall (18), Hugh Douglas (26), Samir Belhout (52), Samir Belhout (54)
Red Cards: Samir Belhout (54)
Cork City: Mark McNulty, John Kavanagh (Josh O’Shea 75), Ross Gaynor, Dan Murray, John Dunleavy, Darren Dennehy; Garry Buckley, Colin Healy, Billy Dennehy (Liam Kearney 70); John O’Flynn, Mark O’Sullivan (Dave O’Leary 79)
Subs Not Used: Michael McSweeney, Cillian Morrison, Rob Lehane, Kevin O’Brien (gk).
Yellow Cards: Billy Dennehy (18)
Referee: Padraigh Sutton
Attendance: 425
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Garry Buckley (Cork City)
