pineapple stu
19/06/2004, 1:50 AM
UCD's nine-game winning streak in the league in Belfield Park was brought to an end by promotion rivals Harps in a fairly tame game in Belfield on Friday. Having fallen behind for only the second time in that run (the previous time was to Kilkenny!), UCD equalised within a minute but neither team could furnish a winner in the final minutes.
The first half saw fairly few clear-cut chances, and in fact I can hardly remember a decent chance on goal. Harps nearly scored a bizarre goal when the ball bounced over UCD keeper Neil Gallagher, but ended up going inches wide. UCD had plenty of pressure and forced several corners, but made nothing of them and Harps, with McGrenehan in particular impressive, were always dangerous when they attacked.
Into the second half, and UCD had slightly the better chances, notably when Robbie Martin arrived at the far post just too late to touch home Hugh Davey's cross, before Harps took the lead with 20 minutes to go. Ironically, given that the UCD defence had performed well all night, with Kenna and McAuley in particular hardly putting a foot wrong, it was a goalkeeping blunder which led to the goal, with Gallagher fumbling a low cross-shot, and Harps had a player on hand to touch home from all of six inches.
However, as has been their trademark in recent seasons, UCD went straight up the pitch and scored. Mick O'Donnell played a brilliant through ball for Pat McWalter to run on to, and he just beat the Harps keeper to dink the ball over him and into the net.
UCD could have won the game a few minutes later when Rob McAuley shaved the bar with a free kick, while Neil Gallagher fumbled another shot and was happy to be able to scamper across to claim the loose ball before any further damage was done.
Overall, not a bad result for the College, who at least don't see their rivals gain any ground, but not the win they would have been hoping for. The run of one defeat in 23 games (that to Harps in April) is kept going and will be tested next by Galway United next weekend.
UCD - Gallagher; Mahon, McAuley, Kenna, McNally; McDonnell, McWalter, Sullivan, Davey (O'Donnell 60); Doyle (Kierans 85), Martin
Attendance - 293
The first half saw fairly few clear-cut chances, and in fact I can hardly remember a decent chance on goal. Harps nearly scored a bizarre goal when the ball bounced over UCD keeper Neil Gallagher, but ended up going inches wide. UCD had plenty of pressure and forced several corners, but made nothing of them and Harps, with McGrenehan in particular impressive, were always dangerous when they attacked.
Into the second half, and UCD had slightly the better chances, notably when Robbie Martin arrived at the far post just too late to touch home Hugh Davey's cross, before Harps took the lead with 20 minutes to go. Ironically, given that the UCD defence had performed well all night, with Kenna and McAuley in particular hardly putting a foot wrong, it was a goalkeeping blunder which led to the goal, with Gallagher fumbling a low cross-shot, and Harps had a player on hand to touch home from all of six inches.
However, as has been their trademark in recent seasons, UCD went straight up the pitch and scored. Mick O'Donnell played a brilliant through ball for Pat McWalter to run on to, and he just beat the Harps keeper to dink the ball over him and into the net.
UCD could have won the game a few minutes later when Rob McAuley shaved the bar with a free kick, while Neil Gallagher fumbled another shot and was happy to be able to scamper across to claim the loose ball before any further damage was done.
Overall, not a bad result for the College, who at least don't see their rivals gain any ground, but not the win they would have been hoping for. The run of one defeat in 23 games (that to Harps in April) is kept going and will be tested next by Galway United next weekend.
UCD - Gallagher; Mahon, McAuley, Kenna, McNally; McDonnell, McWalter, Sullivan, Davey (O'Donnell 60); Doyle (Kierans 85), Martin
Attendance - 293