QuoteWe hope to be rejuvinated (sp??) by next Saturday nightOriginally Posted by Poor Student
McHugh scored. Ok, I wasn't there I don't know if we were outperformed or if we deserved something more but we have proven against Shels, Cork, Waterford and Derry that we can mix it with the big boys and hold our own. I am bloody sick of us throwing away points this year. We have a desperately struggling Longford next week, don't win that and forget about upper mid table comfortability.
We hope to be rejuvinated (sp??) by next Saturday night
Very disappointing result .... but typical College. We have historically risen to the occasion against stronger opponents and sunk to the occasion against the rest .
It's despressing, we can't achieve any consistency. Should have held on against Shels, should not have opened that way against Pats, should have beaten Bohs. There's a possible 5 points thrown away and I don't even know what happened tonight. It just slaps you in the face where 9 games in the bottom side on merit takes their first win off you.
We were useless on Saturday.At times Harps were just passing the ball around us with ridiculous ease. We made the worst team that we've played all year (and they are the worst team we've played the result not withstanding) look like ****ing Brazil when they were passing the ball around our box but when we put any pressure on them at all, they gave it away. Then when we had the ball, we insisted on hoofing it up the pitch and losing the header.
We're not arrogant, we're just better.
Thread on the Finn Harps forum about the match.
UCD’s inconsistent start to the season continued in Ballybofey on Saturday night, where Finn Harps’ first goal in six games was enough for them to claim their first win of the season. Harps were much the better team in the first half, though UCD came more into things in the second and could have nicked a point in the end. Only three teams have conceded fewer goals than UCD this season; however, tellingly, only Harps have scored fewer. Unlike recent seasons, however, this latter stat is not for want of chances, and the hope is that if the forwards can find a vein of form, UCD can climb the table again.
UCD started brightly, with Tony McDonnell hitting the post from a corner inside the first minute; however, three minutes later, the hosts were ahead. Kevin McHugh ran onto a slack back-pass from Conor Kenna and coolly slotted past Darren Quigley.
For most of the half, Harps were on top, with UCD unable to make much headway and not playing much in the way of football either. Harps’ keeper Gavin Cullen nearly gifted UCD an equaliser after a mix-up with his own defender saw the ball land with Podge McWalter; however, his shot from ten yards out on the turn was inches over. And even when UCD did manage to play some decent football, they found the referee conspiring against them – Anto Murphy flicked the ball over his marker only for the referee to collide with him and end the attack prematurely.
By this stage, though, Harps should have been 2-0 up – Chris Breen ran onto a perfect through ball, rounded Darren Quigley, but his shot lacked enough power and Conor Kenna was able to get back and scramble off the line. And that was really it for the first half, which was far from the greatest display of football ever seen.
UCD came out much stronger for the second half and forced a series of early, ultimately fruitless, set-pieces. Gradually, however, better chances presented themselves – Robbie Martin broke through the middle on the hour only for the outrushing Gavin Cullen to deflect his powerful driver over the bar, while Damien Dupuy had a shot from the edge of the area well held. With the introduction of three subs around the seventieth minute, however, the game began to swing more in UCD’s favour. Tony McDonnell – who had just picked up a knock – and Anto Murphy were replaced by Paul Byrne and Gary Dicker, with Damien Dupuy going up front and Robbie Martin moving out on to the left wing, while three minutes later, Dupuy himself was replaced by Adrian Murphy. Gary Dicker was the first to test Gavin Cullen with a shot from outside the area which the keeper tipped over, while Robbie Martin reproduced his wing form from the previous week against Bohs, with Ian Rossiter being booked for a very heavy challenge. Paul Byrne got into a couple of good positions as well, with the best chance being a shot on the turn from ten yards which he failed to make a proper connection with. Late on, a Robbie Martin header was turned onto the post, with Cullen getting in the way of the rebound for another fine save.
The UCD defence was largely comfortable in dealing with the Harps threats in the second half, although right at the death, it could have been 2-0 as Chris Breen again found himself clean through, only for Darren Quigley to deny him this time. It was, however, academic in terms of points, as Harps held on through four minutes of injury time to move four points clear of Shamrock Rovers, and to within four points of UCD, who would have moved into the top half with victory.
UCD – Quigley; Lynch, O’Donnell, Kenna, McNally; McDonnell (Dicker 72), Anto Murphy (Byrne 72), Hurley, McWalter; Dupuy (Adrian Murphy 75), Martin. Subs not used – Gannon, Gallagher
Att – c 900
Trying to think - did McGrenahan or someone manage to skin Lynch and (need all two for a correct match!) get down the by-line to cut a ball back, which was blocked? Can't remember too many clear-cut Harps chances in the second half, which tallies with the Harps thread radio commentary as well.
Fair report, our retreat into our shells in the second half was very much due to nerves, and desperation to get that first win, and invited UCD on to us.
Having scored so early we badly needed to turn our first half pressure into a second goal, sadly we failed to do that, Breen missing badly from the pass of the game as described above, setting up a second half of inevitable UCD presure and a bit of a hit it anywhere response from our defence and mifield.
Fair play to the UCD 4 as usual, and at least Pineapple took something home from Ballybofey, although I suspect the Fantasy Footie winnings were most likely left behind the bar in the Junction.
TG
Hmmm...!At least Pineapple took something home from Ballybofey, although I suspect the Fantasy Footie winnings were most likely left behind the bar in the Junction.
Cost of weekend -
Bus up E25
Taxi out (on my own because everyone else had gone up on the earlier bus!) E26
Drinks - E20 or so.
Match ticket - E7
Programme - E2
Half-time draw ticket - E2
Chipper - E10
B&B - E30
Food in Donegal town on the way back - E15
Total cost - E137 (these are the kind of sums you really shouldn't work out!
Less E16.67 won...means...still spent E120...
you must have been hungry
What can I say? Before the match, and after the drink!
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