Pats 1-1 UCD

[DmanDmythDledge]

Good performance from the team, nobody had a bad game. Still can't believe that Hynes didn't score at the end but that's football. It was a great game, end to end stuff. I thought we were slightly better for the most part but then Pats had a good bit of pressure towards the end and finally made Quigley make a few saves, including one which I don't know how he kept out.

The ref was shocking- also missed Kirby's handball for the goal which changed the game.:rolleyes: Still a point on the board with 4 points looking likely from our next two games.

Also ****ing ****ed off as I was walking towards William Hill to put a fiver on 1-1 but changed my mind.:rolleyes:

[pineapple stu]

I'll take that.

Don't think it was a handball for their goal - Setanta made it out to be, but Kenna's tackled bounced up and hit Kirby on the arm, which was by his side, so it looked fairly accidental in fairness.

Think we both should have had a penalty, but a draw was fair.

Will do a report tomorrow after watching the video.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Don't think it was a handball for their goal - Setanta made it out to be, but Kenna's tackled bounced up and hit Kirby on the arm, which was by his side, so it looked fairly accidental in fairness.
No it was a definite handball. Kirby's arm was out from his body- all of a sudden it' right by his side exactly where the ball was. He struggled to keep a straight face when saying it was ball to hand in his interview. Can't blame the ref for missing it though.

[Schumi]

Think we both should have had a penalty, but a draw was fair.
Don't think either were penalties after seeing the Pats one in injury time on Setanta this morning. Pats was a dive and ours was very innocuous looking.

[Angus]

Very good performance last night by all. I was surprised by Pete's selection when I heard it but credit where credit is due - the key nto the formation was Finn's link up play and I thought he was super.

Sammo had a very good game and was helped by the slot that Finn took up. The 2 centre halves were, as usual, top drawer - thought McNally shaded it over Kenna last night although Kenna's tackle when faced with a 2 on 2 in the second half was world class.

Banks - like save from Quigs at the end was top drawer.

A few other observations -0 what do we think of Tony Mc in centre mid ? A few timely interceptions but not convinced - I know this is sacrilege but does he warrant a place if and when McFaul comes back ?

Apart from one give away I thought King did enough to keep his place.

All in all good performance and a cracking game.

[Gargamel]

Don't think either were penalties after seeing the Pats one in injury time on Setanta this morning. Pats was a dive and ours was very innocuous looking.

sorry lads but i have to disagree with anyone who says we deserved that point and especially ronan saying we were the better team, pats were far superior to us and when watching it on the telly and seeing replays its easier to tell. we were made defend for long spells and darren Quigley pulled off at least three very good saves in particular the point blank header at the end, had that gone in i would have said although pats were not great in the final third they would have deserved the win.
i dont mean to sound so negative but had they not been on their travels they could have done to us last night what odense did to them last week

[Aberdonian Stu]

A few other observations -0 what do we think of Tony Mc in centre mid ? A few timely interceptions but not convinced - I know this is sacrilege but does he warrant a place if and when McFaul comes back ?


The bottom line is that a McFaul-Finn partnership doesn't work, plenty of flash but no bang. Need a physical presence to go alongside one of them.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Very good performance last night by all. I was surprised by Pete's selection when I heard it but credit where credit is due - the key nto the formation was Finn's link up play and I thought he was super.

Sammo had a very good game and was helped by the slot that Finn took up.

A few other observations -0 what do we think of Tony Mc in centre mid ? A few timely interceptions but not convinced - I know this is sacrilege but does he warrant a place if and when McFaul comes back ?
Finn and Sammo were class when they played together last season and were again last night. For me it's our best partnership upfront.

Tony Mc isn't at the races this season. No point picking him because he's been around for so long and used to be good. McFaul and Finn are our two best players in the middle, with King not that far behind.


The bottom line is that a McFaul-Finn partnership doesn't work, plenty of flash but no bang. Need a physical presence to go alongside one of them.
You obviously missed the Rovers game- both were class playing together. McFaul has a physical presence too, don't know what you've been watching.

[passinginterest]

sorry lads but i have to disagree with anyone who says we deserved that point and especially ronan saying we were the better team, pats were far superior to us and when watching it on the telly and seeing replays its easier to tell. we were made defend for long spells and darren Quigley pulled off at least three very good saves in particular the point blank header at the end, had that gone in i would have said although pats were not great in the final third they would have deserved the win.
i dont mean to sound so negative but had they not been on their travels they could have done to us last night what odense did to them last week

I thought UCD definitely deserved a point. I was watching it on Setanta too and I felt UCD set up their team far better than Pat's, played a disciplined game and always looked dangerous on the break. Pat's had no threat down the wings and only created about the same number of clear opportunities as UCD.

It was only when Kirby moved into the centre that Pat's looked dangerous, for all the possession up to that they were hopeless. McGuire and Frost were given nightmares all game. McGuire is a class defender, I've seen him a few times this year, live and on TV and Sammon made him work harder than any other player.

[Aberdonian Stu]

You obviously missed the Rovers game- both were class playing together. McFaul has a physical presence too, don't know what you've been watching.

As we've previously pointed out in the Wimbledon thread one good performance does not paint an accurate picture.

McFaul is not a physical player as has been clear throughout the season, obviously he's comparatively physical to Finn but so are you for goodness sake!

[DmanDmythDledge]

As we've previously pointed out in the Wimbledon thread one good performance does not paint an accurate picture.

McFaul is not a physical player as has been clear throughout the season, obviously he's comparatively physical to Finn but so are you for goodness sake!
What else have we to judge on? The reason they were doing poorly at the start of the season was that Finn needed time to get used to playing in a new position. Now he is used to it and impressed when he played there with McFaul. No reason why it shouldn't be tried again.

I think it has been clear that McFaul has been a physical player.

[Schumi]

sorry lads but i have to disagree with anyone who says we deserved that point... pats were far superior to us... had they not been on their travels they could have done to us last night what odense did to them last weekCan't agree with that. We were under a lot of pressure towards the end but we had more good chances in the first half definitely. We can't expect to be on top for the whole game and defended well when Pats were coming at us late on. I thought a point was fair enough.

[Aberdonian Stu]

What else have we to judge on?

The other games they've played together this season which have shown that it is not an adequate partnership.


I think it has been clear that McFaul has been a physical player.

He's nowhere nearly as physical as Crowley or even Tony "last 60 minutes or your money back" McDonnell.

[pineapple stu]

Thought Tony had one of his better games of the season actually. He's short of match fitness, but last night hinted he was getting back to form. I'd keep him in there purely as the experienced head, and the one who can actually win headers in midfield and break up opposition attacks.

That said, we are fairly spoiled in centre mid.

[Aberdonian Stu]

I wasn't crazy about his performance overall, though unusually for me I will say that I was impressed by his aerial prowess last night.

The main problem with Tony is that he hasn't shown he's capable of lasting the full 90 consistently without some sort of injury afflicting him, even if last night's one was a freak clash of heads.

[John83]

I wasn't crazy about his performance overall, though unusually for me I will say that I was impressed by his aerial prowess last night.

The main problem with Tony is that he hasn't shown he's capable of lasting the full 90 consistently without some sort of injury afflicting him, even if last night's one was a freak clash of heads.
He played 90 against Longford.

I suspect he's still not fully up to speed, so I'm wary of writing him off just yet.

[DmanDmythDledge]

The other games they've played together this season which have shown that it is not an adequate partnership.

He's nowhere nearly as physical as Crowley or even Tony "last 60 minutes or your money back" McDonnell.
Which was when Finn was playing in an unfamiliar position, as I've already explained.

He isn't as physical as those two but is still adequate.


He's short of match fitness


He played 90 against Longford.

I suspect he's still not fully up to speed, so I'm wary of writing him off just yet.
He's started 6 games since he came back from injury, played 90 minutes in 4 of them. He still looked off the pace last night- I don't think his fitness is going to get any better, especially as he's entering the stage of his career where he is beginning to wind down and his history of injuries.

[John83]

He's started 6 games since he came back from injury, played 90 minutes in 4 of them. He still looked off the pace last night- I don't think his fitness is going to get any better, especially as he's entering the stage of his career where he is beginning to wind down and his history of injuries.
He was sharper yesterday than before, and it's not like he's 36.

[pineapple stu]

especially as he's entering the stage of his career where he is beginning to wind down and his history of injuries.
He's only 31, FFS!

[Poor Student]

He's only 31, FFS!

In all fairness to Dman, what has he said wrong? What outfield player is still approaching his peak at 31? Tony is markedly less effective than he was two years ago. That may be partly or largely down to his fitness but as Dman rightly points out it's harder and harder to regain your peak fitness at 31 and climbing when you're injury prone. I think if Tony can steer clear of injuries then he still has a lot to offer but maybe more so at the back and not in midfield.

[pineapple stu]

What outfield player is still approaching his peak at 31?
I'd agree with that, but that's not what dmanetc said.

[pineapple stu]

No it was a definite handball. Kirby's arm was out from his body- all of a sudden it' right by his side exactly where the ball was. He struggled to keep a straight face when saying it was ball to hand in his interview. Can't blame the ref for missing it though.
Definite accident. He didn't move his arm to meet the ball. Complete accident by virtue of the ball rebounding up from Kenna's tackle.

[pineapple stu]

Derek Doyle’s fifth goal of the season helped extend UCD’s unbeaten run against St Pat’s to five games, denting the Saints’ title prospects at the same time. An even game opened up well after half time, and both sides had excellent chances to claim all three points, but in the end, a draw was probably a fair result.

Pete Mahon went with a 4-5-1 formation for the game, with Pat McWalter, Conan Byrne and Paul Crowley making way for Tony McDonnell, Ronan Finn and Doyle.

However, it was title chasing Saints – who gave a debut to former UCD forward Glen Fitzpatrick and the expense of top scorer Mark Quigley – who started much the stronger, with some promising attacks which foundered on the rock solid UCD defence. Anto Murphy scuffed a shot straight at Darren Quigley, while Alan McNally was called on to block away an Alan Kirby effort.

However, neither keeper had been particularly tested by the time the Students took the lead midway through the first half. Conor Sammon laid the ball off to Brian King, who played a perfect through ball to Derek Doyle, and the winger calmly advanced before clinically stroking past Barry Ryan from the edge of the area.

The game started to open up from that point, and four minutes later, Anto Murphy broke free down the left but failed to notice Glen Fitzpatrick in acres of space on the far side of the box until such time as he had been crowded out by retreating defenders. And ten minutes from half time, Fitzpatrick headed down a cross to Keith Fahey, who drove just wide of Darren Quigley’s left hand post.

However, it was UCD who started the second half much the stronger – Shane Fitzgerald forced a corner a minute into half, from which Tony McDonnell headed agonisingly wide. Five minutes later, Shane Fitzgerald pounced on a loose pass to break free down the right, but his cross just failed to find the unmarked Conor Sammon, who would surely have made it 2-0.

Pat’s did have chances too, and Conor Kenna, having first halted Anto Murphy’s marauding approach with a good tackle, cleared off the line from Alan Kirby after a quick Pat’s counter.

UCD almost took a 2-0 lead with a remarkable fumble from Barry Ryan, who let Brian King’s speculative 25-yard drive slip under him and just wide of his post. From the corner, Derek Doyle and Alan McNally both had efforts cleared off the line in a desperate scramble.

With the second goal looking crucial, it fell to the home side, although there was a stroke of good fortune about it. Alan Kirby was played in but was tackled by Conor Kenna; however, the ball rebounded up, off Kirby and straight into the winger’s path to allow him an easy poke home.

Both sides received a blow shortly afterwards when a clash of heads resulted in the departure of both Tony McDonnell and Keith Fahey; Brian Shortall took over in the UCD mid while Michael Macek, a former Czech Republic U-21 international, came on for his Pat’s debut.

UCD continued to create chances as the game wore on – Brian King’s drive from a cleared corner was going wide until Shane Fitzgerald deflected it towards goal, but Barry Ryan was in the right place to save, while on 80 minutes, a free from the left was headed to the far corner by Sammon, but again, Ryan was down to save.

However, Pat’s were dangerous too, with substitute Quigley having a good chance on 84 minutes easily saved by his namesake in the UCD goal, while Peter Hynes should have marked his debut with a goal 30 seconds later when put through by Conor Sammon, but he opted to slide for the ball instead of poking it home, and Ryan was out to smother.

The game was speeding towards its conclusion, with Darren Quigley out of his box to head clear a dangerous Pat’s through ball before somehow clawing away a point blank header from Anto Murphy and Alan Mahon becoming the sixth player into the referee’s notebook with a hard challenge which was typical of a game which was, nevertheless, never played in a bad spirit. Straight up the other end of the pitch, Brian King wasn’t far away with a 30-yard drive, while at the other end, Mark Quigley sensationally beat six blue shirts before somehow getting a drive away which Darren Quigley saved.

The drama continued right to the end when, with 30 seconds of injury time remaining, Seán O’Connor broke into the box and went down under the challenge of Conor Kenna, but the referee correctly ruled that there was nothing in the tackle, and that O’Connor had taken a dive.

That was practically the last action of the game, with both sides emerging battered, bruised but one point better off, a point which will please UCD more than St Pat’s.

UCD – Quigley; Mahon, Bermingham, Kenna, McNally; McDonnell (Shortall 72), Finn (Hynes 81), King, Fitzgerald, Doyle (C Byrne 62); Sammon. Subs not used – Gregg, Bolger

[DmanDmythDledge]

He was sharper yesterday than before, and it's not like he's 36.

He's only 31, FFS!

I know what age he is but due to injuries and the fact that he started playing regularly at a young age he doesn't have the body of a 31 year old. Once footballers enter the latter part of their career they play less due to age- this is what I meant by winding down.


Definite accident. He didn't move his arm to meet the ball. Complete accident by virtue of the ball rebounding up from Kenna's tackle.
I watched it in slow motion and there is clear movement of his arm towards the ball.

[John83]

I watched it in slow motion and there is clear movement of his arm towards the ball.
And there's no consensus between a couple of people all biased in one direction who've seen it multiple times including slow motion replays. The ref didn't call it, and it seems it was reasonable to make that decision (unless refs come with superhuman slow motion replays these days). Let's forget about it.

[Angus]

Separating performances from results (which I know is academic but over the long term performances will yield results) we have been playing pretty well.

Longford away was really an aberration in terms of performance - even Sligo at home wasn't a bad performance - lousy result but we gave away daft goals and had a hatful of chances to score.

I think we can be confident that at this level of performance we should have no relegation problems this season or next. The back 5 is solid, the midfield 4 is solid and with Hynes, we should have a few options up front, especially when Byrne is back.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the season so far - we are playing (or trying to, at least) some nice stuff - as, in fairness, do most teams. Ref's have been decent.

No prizes for guessing my player of the year so far but apart from the Magnet, there are a few other notable contenders - McNally, McFaul, Conan, Finn, Bermingham.

[Schumi]

Derek Doyle’s fifth goal of the seasonI make it 6: away v Drogheda, home & away v Bray, v Salthill in the cup, v Harps in the league cup and away v Pats.

[DmanDmythDledge]

No prizes for guessing my player of the year so far but apart from the Magnet, there are a few other notable contenders - McNally, McFaul, Conan, Finn, Bermingham.
I wouldn't call them contenders- they've been nowhere near as good as Kenna or McNally.

[John83]

I wouldn't call them contenders- they've been nowhere near as good as Kenna or McNally.
We were raving about Conan a month ago, and he was excellent when he came on against Pats - should really have started on the right, methinks.

[Poor Student]

We were raving about Conan a month ago, and he was excellent when he came on against Pats - should really have started on the right, methinks.

Agreed, he's still my player of the season.

I wouldn't say we'll have no relegation problems next year, the three down is always going to make it difficult for us.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Darren Quigley and Conor Kenna named in eleven-a-side team of the week (http://www.eleven-a-side.com/blogs/viewblog.asp?bid=65).



Darren Quigley (UCD) - The Republic of Ireland under-21 star has struggled to establish himself in the College side this season but on the evidence of his second half performance to deny St Patrick’s Athletic, he looks set for an extended run in the team.

Conor Kenna (UCD) - A fine performance from the versatile defender as the Students tripped up St Pats.