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16/07/2006, 11:46 PM
UCD's bogey over Drogheda United in Belfield Park continued on Sunday night, and after three previous league results where the Students didn't get the result they deserved, a draw tonight was about fair in a match which only rose above the mundane in the last quarter of an hour.
Alan Mahon was added to UCD's injury list - including Tony McDonnell, Paul Byrne, Conan Byrne and Jimmy Lee Matthews - and was replaced by Darragh Ryan, with Conor Kenna moving to left-back. Drogheda, fresh from a 1-1 UEFA Cup draw in Helsinki, started former UCD midfielder Gavin Whelan and gave Tony Grant his league debut since signing from Bohs.
The game started at a good pace, with Drogheda having the better of the chances. A free-kick from 25 yards out was superbly tipped over the bar by Darren Quigley within the opening quarter of an hour, and Quigley was to present Drogheda with their next chance when fumbling a corner from the left, only for the UCD defence to clear. Shortly before the half-hour, only a last-ditch tackle from Alan McNally - captain for the day - denied the Drogs a run on goal after a superb run had taken Jason Gavin past Conor Sammon and Alan Cawley.
The best chance of the half fell to Tony Grant, who capitalised on a rare error from Brian Shortall on the edge of the box to find himself one on one with Darren Quigley. Grant rounded the Irish U-21 keeper but Conor Kenna recovered in time to clear off the line.
UCD's best chance of the half came from Alan Cawley, but his attempted chip from a weak defensive header sailed narrowly over the bar.
Drogheda brought on Éamon Zayed for the ineffective Shane Barrett at half-time, and Zayed had a great chance to open the scoring early on in the half when he beat Darren Quigley to a through ball to loft over the keeper from the corner of the area, but again Conor Kenna was on hand to clear off the line.
On the hour mark, Darragh Ryan's volley from 25 yards was UCD's best chance before a shot from a Drogheda corner was deflected and cleared off the line once more; from the rebound, Jason Gavin curled harmlessly over the bar.
Shortly after the hour mark, UCD introduced John Brophy and Kieran Harte for Stephen Hurley and Alan Cawley and the balance of play swung the way of the Students. First, Brophy went past two Drogheda players to come up to the edge of the box; his pass let in Gary Dicker, but the midfielder was just too long getting his shot away, and it was blocked. Then from the third of a series of corners, Brian Shortall rippled the side netting with a fierce drive from 12 yards before the chance of the match fell to UCD. Pressure from Conor Sammon forced a mistake from the Drogheda defence, and John Brophy found himself clear on goal with only Connor to beat; his delicate chip did beat Connor, but somehow also beat the far post by mere inches.
UCD continued to attack, and Gary Dicker had a header cleared off the line from another corner with two minutes to go. Drogheda went straight down the pitch and, from a low cross, Zayed poked wide from no more than four yards out.
Overall, a draw was probably a fair result, one which extends UCD's recent run to one defeat in eight games (though remarkably, there have been only two wins in that sequence). Included in that have been draws against Derry, Drogheda and Pat's, and a narrow defeat against Cork, which should upt Pete Mahon's charges in a confident mood ahead of Friday's tripa cross town to troubled Shelbourne.
UCD - Quigley; Kenna, Ryan, Shortall, McNally; Cawley (Harte 68), Hurley (Brophy 68), Dicker, Doyle; Sammon, McWalter. Subs not used - Hussey, Last, Quinn.
Att - 650
Alan Mahon was added to UCD's injury list - including Tony McDonnell, Paul Byrne, Conan Byrne and Jimmy Lee Matthews - and was replaced by Darragh Ryan, with Conor Kenna moving to left-back. Drogheda, fresh from a 1-1 UEFA Cup draw in Helsinki, started former UCD midfielder Gavin Whelan and gave Tony Grant his league debut since signing from Bohs.
The game started at a good pace, with Drogheda having the better of the chances. A free-kick from 25 yards out was superbly tipped over the bar by Darren Quigley within the opening quarter of an hour, and Quigley was to present Drogheda with their next chance when fumbling a corner from the left, only for the UCD defence to clear. Shortly before the half-hour, only a last-ditch tackle from Alan McNally - captain for the day - denied the Drogs a run on goal after a superb run had taken Jason Gavin past Conor Sammon and Alan Cawley.
The best chance of the half fell to Tony Grant, who capitalised on a rare error from Brian Shortall on the edge of the box to find himself one on one with Darren Quigley. Grant rounded the Irish U-21 keeper but Conor Kenna recovered in time to clear off the line.
UCD's best chance of the half came from Alan Cawley, but his attempted chip from a weak defensive header sailed narrowly over the bar.
Drogheda brought on Éamon Zayed for the ineffective Shane Barrett at half-time, and Zayed had a great chance to open the scoring early on in the half when he beat Darren Quigley to a through ball to loft over the keeper from the corner of the area, but again Conor Kenna was on hand to clear off the line.
On the hour mark, Darragh Ryan's volley from 25 yards was UCD's best chance before a shot from a Drogheda corner was deflected and cleared off the line once more; from the rebound, Jason Gavin curled harmlessly over the bar.
Shortly after the hour mark, UCD introduced John Brophy and Kieran Harte for Stephen Hurley and Alan Cawley and the balance of play swung the way of the Students. First, Brophy went past two Drogheda players to come up to the edge of the box; his pass let in Gary Dicker, but the midfielder was just too long getting his shot away, and it was blocked. Then from the third of a series of corners, Brian Shortall rippled the side netting with a fierce drive from 12 yards before the chance of the match fell to UCD. Pressure from Conor Sammon forced a mistake from the Drogheda defence, and John Brophy found himself clear on goal with only Connor to beat; his delicate chip did beat Connor, but somehow also beat the far post by mere inches.
UCD continued to attack, and Gary Dicker had a header cleared off the line from another corner with two minutes to go. Drogheda went straight down the pitch and, from a low cross, Zayed poked wide from no more than four yards out.
Overall, a draw was probably a fair result, one which extends UCD's recent run to one defeat in eight games (though remarkably, there have been only two wins in that sequence). Included in that have been draws against Derry, Drogheda and Pat's, and a narrow defeat against Cork, which should upt Pete Mahon's charges in a confident mood ahead of Friday's tripa cross town to troubled Shelbourne.
UCD - Quigley; Kenna, Ryan, Shortall, McNally; Cawley (Harte 68), Hurley (Brophy 68), Dicker, Doyle; Sammon, McWalter. Subs not used - Hussey, Last, Quinn.
Att - 650