- Patrick O'Connor
- Sat, Oct 08 2022
Patrick O’ Connor reports from Belfield
UCD were unable to maintain their unbeaten record against Sligo Rovers this season and were on the wrong end of a 2-0 result when the two sides met at the Belfield Bowl in on Friday night.
The Students were not able to take advantage of home venue and did not play like a side fighting relegation.
Their opposition meanwhile had nothing to play for as the season draws to a close, but it was the Bit O’Red who were the much hungrier side and they fully deserved the three points that moves them up to fifth place on the table.
The omens were not good for the college team when they made a very slow start to the game, and they almost went behind in the 13th minute. Rob Burton floated in a lovely cross which Aidan Keena headed in the direction of the top corner only for keeper Kian Moore to pull off an excellent save, finger tipping the ball over the bar for a corner.
They were not so lucky six minutes later however when the visitors took the lead with a well worked goal in the 19th minute.
Jack Keaney lost the ball on the half way line and when Keena snapped up the loose ball, he ran at the back tracking UCD defence before releasing Adam McDonnell who then coolly chipped the ball over Moore for a superb individual goal.
Rovers continued to dominate possession for the remainder of the half and could easily have increased their lead with Keena, Will Fitzgerald and Frank Liivak all testing Moore before the half time whistle.
The expected fight back from UCD never materialised on the resumption of the second half and instead it was John Russell’s side who put the issue beyond doubt in the 55th minute.
Player of the match McDonnell took advantage of another loose pass by UCD and drove through the heart of the home rear-guard before drawing Moore off his line and sliding the ball into an empty net, another excellent goal by the former Home Farm and Shelbourne youth player.
UCD’s head- coach Andy Myler was unhappy with some of the refereeing decisions in the second half and his verbal altercations with the fourth official led to him being red carded by referee Oliver Moran in the 73rd minute.
Rovers continued to press for a third goal but were denied by a hard-working UCD defence, however they were more than content with their two- goal advantage and the manner in which they dominated the game from start to finish.
The result does not change anything at the bottom of the table as fellow relegation candidates Finn Harps were also well beaten by Derry City and both sides are now still locked together on 19 points.
Harps have a chance to pull away from UCD next weekend when they have a mis-firing Dundalk as visitors to Finn Park while the Students are idle and have to wait two weeks before they face Drogheda United at home in their fourth last game of the season
UCD: Kian Moore; Jack Keaney, Evan Osam (Harry O Connor 67), Sam Todd, Alex Dunne (Johnny Haist 86), Dylan Duffy, Evan Caffrey, Dara Keane, Sean Brennan (Aaron Corish 67) Alex Nolan (Donal Higgins 52), Thomas Lonergan.
Subs not used: Ollie Olecsiewicz (GK); Alex Nolan, Danny Norris, Jamie Duggan, Mark Dignam.
Booked: Dara Keane (79)
Red Card: Andy Myler (73)
Sligo Rovers:Richard Brush, Colm Horgan (Lewis Banks 35), Shane Blaney (Eanna Clancy 83) Nando Pijnaker, Paddy Kirk, Niall Morahan (Kailin Barlow 83), Adam McDonnell, Will Fitzgerald, Robbie Burton (Seamus Keogh 88), Frank Liivak, Aidan Keena.
Subs not used: Conor Walsh (GK), Greg Bolger, Karl O’ Sullivan, Cillian Heaney, Eanna Clancy.
Booked: Rob Burton (38)
Referee: Oliver Moran
Extratime.com Payer of the Match: Adam McDonnell
