- Josh Dolan
- Sun, May 31 2015
An under par UCD side crashed out of the 2015 Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup following a damaging 3-1 defeat to AUL outfit Sheriff YC at the UCD bowl on Sunday night.
A first half goal from Kevin Lynch followed by an exquisite second half lob by Sean Murphy and an excellent header by substitute Mark Higgins helped Sheriff book their place in the third of the cup.
The home side started well and the opening chance fell the way of the Students six minutes in, as an Eoin Kirwan low free kick deflected off the Wall towards ex-Bray man Ryan Swan, but his headed effort was well matched by Lee Murphy in the Sheriff goal.
After that UCD, who for the majority of the game lacked ideas and intensity, were restricted to long range effort including ex-Olldham midfielder Gary O’Neill’s effort which went narrowly over the YC cross-bar after a pass inside from Mark Langtry.
Langtry was next to try his luck from range, as his weak effort dribbled wide of Murphy’s right hand post after some rare positive play on a day where the Belfield boys failed to impose an acceptable tempo on the game.
Kirwan almost found himself through on the YC goal after the midfielder went on a mazy run, but a last ditch tackle from Antony Kavanagh prevented Collie O’Neill’s off-season signing from opening his account for the Students.
After being on the back foot for the opening half hour Sheriff began to show their quality. John Lester became the first man in green and white to try his luck on 34 minutes, as he headed Kevin Lynch’s corner into the arms of UCD shot-stopper Corbet.
Lester tried his luck again just two minutes later, heading Sean Murphy’s cross narrowly wide of the UCD goal.
The AUL side continued to press and opened the scoring on 35 minutes. Wing-back Lynch was afforded too much time and space by the UCD rear-guard and, given the opportunity, he struck powerfully under Students net-minder Corbet, who really should have done better.
Sheriff began the second half the same way they finished the first, scoring. A long ball from Lester was headed by Corbet, but only as far as Sean Murphy, who volleyed the ball over the helpless goalkeeper to double YC’s lead.
Moments later UCD almost found a way back into the game, as in form striker Swan pulled the ball back for O’Neill, who saw his goal ward effort blocked by Sheriff’s number eight Joseph Flood.
Keith Dunne then had a great chance to put Sheriff three up when Lester’s free kick was palmed only as far as Keith Dunne by Corbet, but the striker’s effort was deflected into the side-netting for a corner. From the resulting set piece Darren Dunne’s low ball found John Rock, who fired just over the UCD cross-bar.
After that a lot of the second half was played in the middle on the park. However, after 68 minutes ex-Bray striker Swan had a chance to reduce the deficit when he ran onto a Robbie Benson through ball, before seeing his run stopped by Lee Murphy in the Sheriff goal.
The AUL outfit defended well on the night, restricting the home team to shots from range. UCD midfielder O’Neill tried his luck from 20 yards with 17 minutes to go, but his effort was easily claimed by ex-Shels stopper Murphy.
Sheriff grabbed a deserved third goal on 77 minutes when substitute Higgins headed Keith Dunne’s cross expertly past Corbet to seal the Junior side’s place in the third round of The Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup.
UCD managed a late consolation, as Chris Mulhall tapped home Jack Watson’s rebound for the Students. But that’s all it was and UCD will now have to concentrate on their First Division form, as well as their upcoming Europa League adventure, which begins in July.
UCD: Niall Corbet; Mark Langtry, Tomas Boyle, Michael Leahy, Sean Coyne (Maxi Kougoun 66); Robbie Benson, Dylan Watts, Gary O’Neill; Chris Mulhall, Ryan Swan, Eoin Kirwan (Jack Watson 46).
Subs Not Used: Conor Mackey, Adam Harney, Ian Ryan, Ryan Mc Laughlin, Conor Cannon.
Booked: Leahy (55).
Sheriff YC: Lee Murphy; Paul Murphy, John Lester, Anthony Kavanagh, Joseph O’Neill; Sean Murphy (Stephen Larkin 76), Kevin Lynch (Mark Higgins 57); Joseph Flood (Alan McCabe 70), Darren Dunne, John Rock, Keith Dunne.
Subs Not Used: Jeffrey Flood, Robert Fitzsimons, Alan Murphy.
Booked: Rock (53).
Referee: James McKell.
Attendance: 180.
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: John Lester (Sheriff YC).
