- Josh Dolan
- Sun, Sep 06 2015
UCD suffered a blow in the First Division title race, as the Students blew a 2-0 lead at the Athlone Town Stadium on Saturday night.
A first half strike from Ryan Swan coupled with a 49th minute wonder goal from stand in skipper Chris Mulhall helped the Belfield side into a 2-0 lead. However second half strikes from Sam O’Connor and Phillip Gorman, either side of UCD midfielder Jack Watson’s dismissal for a second yellow card, earned the Midlanders a point.
It was the visitors who started the quickest. Jamie Doyle, who was returning to the starting XI after injury, headed a Chris Mulhall cross narrowly over just two minutes into the action.
When Athlone play sides like UCD, they have to accept not having possession for large periods of the game, meaning set-pieces are an area they look to threaten from.
The UCD rear-guard failed to properly clear Athlone’s first corner of the game, as a result the ball fell to Gavin Boyne on the edge of the box, but the midfielder flashed his effort narrowly wide.
Collie O’Neill’s side took the lead 20 minutes into the game, as after a goalward effort was cleared off the Athlone goal-line, the ball fell to Conor Cannon. He controlled the ball, before playing the ball back to his strike partner Swan, who side-footed past Patrick Dunican in the Athlone goal.
The Students were unlucky not to double their lead eight minutes before the break when Doyle powered in from the left, before sending a sharp ball across the box. The ball only needed a touch, however that touch proved elusive.
Doyle was involved in another UCD chance just after the break, as he found himself in acres of space at the back post when a cross came in from the right. However, he got under the ball and headed comfortably over.
However, just three minutes later the Students were two up, as Mulhall played a one-two with Daniel Tobin, before looping the ball over Athlone stopper Dunican from 25 yards.
The second goal certainly woke Athlone up and they sent UCD a warning sign a couple of minutes before the hour mark. Daniel Molloy got forward on the right, before crossing for Boyne, but he couldn’t make significant contact with the ball.
It’s often said that 2-0 is a precarious lead, but UCD had a guilt-edged chance for a third, as Cannon’s 20 yard shot was well saved by Dunican. The rebound fell to Watson, who fired over from six yards out.
UCD will have regretted not making it three moments later, as Sam O’Connor took advantage of a defensive lapse in the UCD ranks. He picked up a loose ball 20 yards out from goal, before rounding Niall Corbet and passing the ball into the open UCD net.
Athlone then began probing for an equaliser immediately, as Gorman headed a cross from the left narrowly over the UCD cross-bar. Collie O’Neill’s heart was in his mouth.
With 12 minutes to go the task of holding on became tougher for UCD, as Watson was sent-off for a second yellow card for a foul in the middle of the pitch.
A couple of minutes later the inevitable happened, as Gorman headed a cross from the right goalwards to score thanks to a goalkeeping error. It looked like UCD net-minder Corbet had caught the ball with considerable ease, but the Students number one instead spilled the ball into the net to level the score at 2-2.
In the dying moments of stoppage time, the ever prolific Swan had a great chance to steal three points for UCD, however, the young striker fired over after cutting inside from the right.
UCD travel to Wexford next Friday with the hope of re-igniting their title chase, while Athlone are without a game.
Athlone Town: Patrick Dunican; Aidan Friel, Stephen Dunne, Derek Doyle (C); Cian O’Sullivan, Adam Kelly, Gavin Boyne (Ian Fletcher 66), Daniel Purdy, Daniel Molloy; Phillip Gorman, Sam O’Connor.
Subs Not Used: Ryan Gaffney, Aaron O’Neill, Aidan Collins, Marco Chindea, Colm Murray.
Yellow Cards: Boyne (57).
UCD: Niall Corbet; Daniel Tobin, Maxi Kougoun (Adam Harney 60), Michael Leahy, Ryan McLaughlin; Chris Mulhall (C), Jack Watson, Gary O’Neill, Jamie Doyle; Conor Cannon (Eoin Kirwan 85), Ryan Swan.
Subs Not Used: Conor Mackey, Sean Coyne, Robbie Benson, Jason McClelland, Tom O’Halloran.
Yellow Cards: Doyle (24), Watson (51,78), Mulhall (87).
Red Cards: Watson (78).
Referee: Robert Hennessey.
Attendance: 200 (Estimate).
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Conor Cannon (UCD).
