Credit: Al Robinson (ETPhotos)
League Preview: UCD -v- Cabinteely
- Dave Donnelly
- Fri, Jul 28 2017
UCD
UCD welcome Cabinteely to Belfield for the penultimate Dublin derby of the First Division season (kick-off 7.45pm).
A comfortable 4-0 victory over Athlone Town last week at the Bowl lifted UCD back alongside Cobh Ramblers in second position, but ahead on goal difference.
Georgie Kelly scored a hat-trick to set the Students on their way before Jason McClelland added his seventh of the season for a simple win.
However with just one promotion spot this year, and a nine-point gap to Waterford, who host Athlone tonight, Collie O'Neill's side will need a lot of luck to make up the ground.
They face a Cabinteely side who have rediscovered some of their lost form in recent years and, judging by the 3-3 draw at Stradbrook Park in June, it should be an entertaining one.
Captain Gary O'Neill, Liam Scales and Daire O'Connor are all doubts after missing the victory over Athlone through injury.
CABINTEELY
Cabinteely come into their final derby of the season on the back of a thrilling last-minute victory over Shelbourne at Stradbrook Park seven days ago.
New signing Gareth McCaffrey linked up with former UCD man Jack Watson for the game's only goal in injury time.
McCaffrey is one of several new faces through the Stradbrook Park entrance door in the past couple of weeks, with former College striker Ryan Swan another following his return from England.
With two wins and a draw in their last three games, Cabo look to have put their shaky midsummer form behind them and will be confident of taking something from the Students.
Christian Lotefa serves a one-game suspension for accumulating five yellow cards, having just completed a four-game ban for an incident with Wexford's Ricky Fox last month.
Referee: Adriano Reale.
MATCH STATS
The sides have met four times so far this season, three times in the league, with the Students holding a slender advantage in the head-to-heads.
Aside a League Cup win where both sides played their second string, UCD won the first meeting of the season between the sides, thanks to Simon Power's goal in Stradbrook.
Two high-scoring draws complete the set, a 2-2 draw at the Bowl in February and a 3-3 draw at Stradbrook in June.
BETTING
UCD 17/20; Draw 13/5; Cabinteely 3/1.
PREDICTION
UCD 2 – 2 Cabinteely
UCD
Injured: None.
Doubtful: Daire O'Connor, Gary O'Neill, Liam Scales.
Suspended: None.
Cabinteely
Injured: Unavailable.
Doubtful: Unavailable.
Suspended: Christian Lotefa.
