UCD 2-3 Derry

[DmanDmythDledge]

****ing sick. We were the best team without doubt. Derry get one shot on goal in the whole second half. Free kick for the first goal was never a free either- Kenna cleanly won the ball.

Lots of positives to take from the game though;

- Timmy had a great game, a lot more mobile than Sammo so we are able to break quicker. A real livewire all game, our motm I thought. You could notice that we were quieter when he went off

-Paul Byrne does what he does best. Seemed a bit sluggish though

-Kinger had a good game I thought, took Barry Molloy out of the game completely in the second half.

Defence was very poor for Derry's second and third goals though. I think moving McNally from the defence will turn out to be a big mistake. Anytime he was out last season the defence was a mess and tonight was no exception. Shorthall hasn't been at the races since he came back last season. Main problem though is that there's no one back there to organise the defence- that's what McNally always did and the only flaw in Kenna's game...

[thischarmingman]

Just thought I'd post what I posted on the DCFC chat forum. You were desperately unlucky.

-Was at the game and over the moon to get three points. However, we really didn't play that well. **** it, we were awful. Our passing was horrendous; I expected us to calm down, pass well and counterattack when we went two up, instead we conceded two soft goals and when the second went in we looked totally hit for six- UCD could easily have taken the lead on a couple of occasions.
-The ball was in the air for most of the match- I can't remember us stringing more than 3/4 passes together.
-Sammon didn't win a single header all night, but that said, he had poor service.
-Grey had one trick- to cut inside, and that was about it. And he was at fault for the second.
- You can talk about finnesse, skills, fitness and strategy until you're blue in the face- we looked far more dangerous tonight from setpieces when Delaney was in the area than we did for the whole of last season.
-We didn't have a midfield. As such.

That said, we won 3 points in a game we've struggled in the last few seasons. My main worry, which I hope/presume will come good was our complete lack of passing and possession. I hope this was just first game rustiness and the team will come good

[Student Mullet]

We were the best team without doubt.

I wouldn't go that far, Derry were always dangerous.

I'm a lot more hopeful for the season now than I was at 8 though.

[DmanDmythDledge]

If you keep hoofing the ball up to Sammo don't expect him to do anything. In fairness though he won two headers towards the end, but he was been marked by our **** centre half then.

I wouldn't go that far, Derry were always dangerous.

Wouldn't agree, only one team really looked like scoring- we had the majority of possession in the second half and were creating chances. They only had four shots on target all game, iirc

[DmanDmythDledge]

Also if Timmy Purcell doesn't get a call up to the Ireland U21 squad this season I'm going for a Sammo hairstyle...

[Burnsie]

-Sammon didn't win a single header all night,

Gadzooks! Bet the sun rises in the east tomorrow morning and all...

[pineapple stu]

We were the best team without doubt.

Eh, no. First off, they'd have to be the better of two teams, and secondly, the game was level enough - as BS said, Derry were always dangerous. Shortall did OK, and Allie Mac took over the Tony Mac role in midfield to good effect.

Timmy and Paul Byrne were far, far more effective than Sammon and Farren. We just happened to have the poorer defence.

[pineapple stu]

A late late Peter Hutton goal denied UCD a point in the UCD Bowl's debut match against Derry City in a dramatic encounter tonight. UCD looked dead and buried after going 2-0 down early on, but the Students fought back to 2-2 and had a blatant penalty turned down only to lose it at the death.

There were no surprised in UCD's line-up, with Ian Bermingham recovering from injury. For Derry, Ciarán Marty nwas left on the bench - much to his former team's relief - but Conor Sammon, Darren Quigley and Clive Delaney all started.

Derry started off the stronger, albeit forcing no more than a couple of penalty box scrambles with their early possession. Gradually, however, the home team got back into the game, and had the game's first shot in anger when Ronan Finn fired in from 25 yards, and Darren Quigley was nearly embarrassed on his Belfield return, but just about grabbed the ball as it threatened to squirm through his legs.

That said, it wasn't a huge surprise when Derry took the lead on 20 minutes. Paddy McCourt, a constant threat thus far, was stopped illegally 25 yards out, and Ruadhri Higgins stepped up to curl a magnificent free kick over the wall and into the top right corner.

Worse was to follow four minutes later. Steven Gray was given far too much room down the right hand side, and his cross was prodded home by Mark Farren, The striker's extravagant celebrations were in complete contrast to the dropped heads of the home side, and for a few minutes it looked as if a rout were on the cards. Clive Delaney had a header form a corner cleared off the line by Ian Bermingham, and the ball was eventually hoofed clear just as Conor Sammon was about to have a swing.

But the game was turned on its head on 34 minutes with a superb goal from UCD. Ronan Finn, possibly the Students' best player on the night, brought the ball out of defence and sent a pass long up to Timmy Purcell on the wing. The forward's cross found Paul Byrne on the edge of the area and, with Quigley in no-man's land, he looped a header over his former teammate and into the net to bring the home team right back into it.

They could possibly have been level two minutes later, when another Byrne header clearly struck Clive Delaney on the arm, but amazingly the referee missed the incident, although given UCD's pre-season record from the spot, the decision may not have cost them a goal.

By and large, the first half was lethargic stuff from the Students, and a half-time dressing down from Pete Mahon spurred them on, and they were level on 52 - a corner wasn't cleared and Conor Kenna's shot from the corner of the box took a deflection and looped over Quigley into the far corner. The defender will no doubt claim it, making it his first senior goal for the club in his 140th appearance.

UCD were most definitely in the ascendancy now - Brian King tried his luck from 40 yards, Ronan Finn fired wide and Timmy Purcell forced a superb save from Quigley. Stephen Kenny brought on former Premiership player Owen Morrison, Ciarán Martyn - well known for his goals against UCD - and Kevin McHugh as he tried to ensure a winning start in his second spell as manager. However, as the game entered the final ten minutes, there was a feeling that UCD were losing their composure a bit - bypassing the midfield which, coupled with the loss of the superb Timmy Purcell, gave Derry a way back. However, they still didn't look like taking it until the 88th minute, when a free from the left went right across goal before being prodded home by the veteran Peter Hutton.

Shane Fitzgerald was brought on in an effort to regain the point, but even with four minutes of injury time, there wasn't time for an equaliser, and UCD's first match in their new home ended in defeat. However, there were many positives to take from what was a hugely encouraging performance, although as ever, the main issue remains as to whether the Students can turn in performances like this against the lesser teams. Time will tell.

UCD: Gregg; Mahon, Shortall, Kenna, Bermingham; Finn, McNally, King, McWalter (Fitzgerald 88); Byrne, Purcell (Forsythe 72). Subs not used - Brennan, McMillan, Gallagher

Att - 622

[mcglinchey]

apart from the free kick i thought the two other derry golas were soft goals and you could tell we were missing the presence of mcnally at the back. was it just me or did he not look comfortable in that position? i dont think we will get as much out of him playing in that holding role than we would with him partnering kenna at the back.
My only suggestion is that we shift kinger into the middle with ronan finn, put shane fitz on the right and shift mcnally back to centre half.
On a positive note i thought timmy purcell was outstanding. he showed great strength and determination for a small lad and caused a hell of a lot of problems for derry. We were'nt the same when he went off.
and if ever there was a stone wall penalty.... mcnally's header back across clearly bounced off delaneys hand. The ref bottled it. if we had of put that penalty away we could of went on to win the game. But overall it was a very encouraging performance.

[Poor Student]

I'll only be echoing what most have said here by now. The first 25-30 minutes were very poor. Our only positive spell was immiediately followed by a Derry goal. When the second one went in you felt it was going to be the story of our season. The lads did great to battle back and deserved to get the two goals.

Timmy Purcell was great. He did the little things that can turn a period of pressure for the team like holding up a long ball or rushed clearance and taking a step infield from the man marking him letting the flow of play turn back your way. I think he's going to be great this season and I'm confident that Sammon going is good business all round. Timmy's departure was a turning point in the game. When Forsyth came on nothing stuck up front and we couldn't get things going anymore.

Ronan Finn was also immense. He's the most all-round midfielder I've seen playing for UCD. Excellent control and turn, good passer and can get the boot in. For our first goal he carried the ball away from our box and launched a good ball to Timmy which resulted in Byrne's goal.

Our defence is wobbly though. You can see why Mahon is putting McNally in centre midfield. Otherwise we'll have two young inexperienced players in the middle and McNally also offers strength in there. Our defence is going to suffer though. We shipped two very poor goals. I think next week we'll get a much clearer view of our chances of staying up when we play Bray. Very disappointed to lose this point, every one will be vital with three going down.

[pineapple stu]

if we had have put that penalty away we could have went on to win the game.

(Irritating "would of" corrected)

Were you not watching pre-season? We'd have missed.

[John83]

I think moving McNally from the defence will turn out to be a big mistake. Anytime he was out last season the defence was a mess and tonight was no exception.

Our defence is wobbly though. You can see why Mahon is putting McNally in centre midfield. Otherwise we'll have two young inexperienced players in the middle and McNally also offers strength in there. Our defence is going to suffer though. We shipped two very poor goals. I think next week we'll get a much clearer view of our chances of staying up when we play Bray. Very disappointed to lose this point, every one will be vital with three going down.

I really hope King and Finn are good enough together to take on the bottom half teams, letting McNally drop back. We miss him too much there, but I can't see the young lads taking on one of the better midfields on their own.

Timmy Purcell was great.

Yes, yes he was. All hail Timmy and his gold and dayglo orange boots!

-Paul Byrne does what he does best. Seemed a bit sluggish though

He played very well. He'll never hair around after the ball like Timmy did; it's not his style. I'll just take the goals and be grateful for them.

[Martinho II]

how come john reilly wasnt playin for ye lads?

[John83]

how come john reilly wasnt playin for ye lads?

We started with about as experienced a midfield as we can put out, which makes sense against Derry. For the bench, he seems to have lost out in a straight decision between him and Fitzgerald.

[mcglinchey]

on another note mahon was very poor last night and was caught for the second and third goals. their left back got past him too easy for the second goal and he gave away the free kick for the winner, and to add insult to injury i thought he flicked the cross on to hutton!!!
reading some papers today and they say byrne got the second but it was a shorthall shot that kenna got a touch to.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Eh, no. First off, they'd have to be the better of two teams, and secondly, the game was level enough - as BS said, Derry were always dangerous.

More possession, created more chances and having a midfield that didn't disappear for the whole game= better team to me. McCourt was their only player who looked like doing something, but was almost always snuffed out when he got into the final third.

UCD: Gregg; Mahon, Shortall, Kenna, Bermingham; Finn, McNally, King, McWalter (Fitzgerald 88); Byrne, Purcell (Forsythe 72). Subs not used - Brennan, McMillan, Gallagher

Fitzgerald never came on.

My only suggestion is that we shift kinger into the middle with ronan finn, put shane fitz on the right and shift mcnally back to centre half.

I think that would be better too. If McNally has to be in the cente though we would be better off playing 4-5-1/4-3-3.

----McNally-----King

Timmy-----Finn-----Fitz/Podge

------------PB

I think Fitz would suit that formation better (and last night too) as we would be reliant mostly on quick attacks. However Pete isn't that great tactically so we won't ever abondon the basic 4-4-2 or 4-5-1.

reading some papers today and they say byrne got the second but it was a shorthall shot that kenna got a touch to.

It was definitely Kenna who took the shot. Didn't see the deflection but I saw some reports that said it was deflected off Byrne.

[John83]

I think Fitz would suit that formation better (and last night too) as we would be reliant mostly on quick attacks. However Pete isn't that great tactically so we won't ever abondon the basic 4-4-2 or 4-5-1.

You're not exactly Arsene Wenger yourself.

[pineapple stu]

More possession, created more chances and having a midfield that didn't disappear for the whole game= better team to me.

Most definitely inferior for the first half hour, and faded completely in the last fifteen after Timmy went off. You can't ignore large chunks of the game.

Fitzgerald never came on.

Are you sure? Seem to remember him coming on late on, and you querying why to bother at that stage.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Most definitely inferior for the first half hour, and faded completely in the last fifteen after Timmy went off. You can't ignore large chunks of the game.

Are you sure? Seem to remember him coming on late on, and you querying why to bother at that stage.

I'm not. Over the course of the whole game we had more possession and created more chances. Also, at the beginning, I thought we were slightly better up until Derry scored.

Yeah, he was about to come on but Pete must have changed his mind.

[pineapple stu]

We were all over the shop in defence and could well have been more than 2-0 down.