Pre-season friendlies

[DmanDmythDledge]

We're playing Longford in Flancare on 23rd February at 5.30pm.
http://foot.ie/showpost.php?p=853236&postcount=1

[pineapple stu]

Who's not in Bunratty to get updates?

[DRDoc]

cool looking forward to that - more to come hopefully?

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, should be four or five against First Division opposition. Usual stuff.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Wexford Youths FC will face UCD in a pre-season friendly at Ferrycarrig Park on Saturday, 9th February, at 2pm. This is the second pre-season friendly confirmed by the club, who will also face Shamrock Rovers at home on Friday, 29th February, at 8pm.

Pete Mahon's Premier Division side will travel to Wexford for this first time, but the sides did meet last season in a pre-season friendly at Belfield Park and the Students should again provide a stern test for Wexford manager Mick Wallace's young First Division side.

[Angus]

Currently budgeting but not yet 100% certain to attend both friendlies.

I have four spaces filled for the Longford game - I might be totally full for Wexford - anybody need lift let me know.

[pineapple stu]

Hope to be going to Wexford, so can give lifts down and straight back for the cital Ennis league match that evening!

[pineapple stu]

There's a few more home friendlies to be announced in the next few days.

[pineapple stu]

Final list according to Maccer -

Sun 10/02 - Wexford Youths (A), 2pm
Sun 17/02 - Sporting Fingal (A), 2pm
Wed 20/02 - Kildare County (H), 7:45pm
Sat 23/02 - Longford Town (A), 7:30pm
Fri 29/02 - Monaghan United (H), 7:45pm

[DmanDmythDledge]

Wexford say it's on Saturday...

[pineapple stu]

One of their fans on the eL forum confirmed the change to Sunday for it.

[oldyouth]

Sorry, it's a bit late to be posting a reply now but the game is deffo Sunday at 2pm. There is a bit of ongoing communication problems with the official club website and the supporters club website. Anyone coming down is more than welcome and I can post directions if needed

[Schumi]

Wexford 0-2 UCD
Kenna scored both goals, first from a penalty after missing one seconds earlier and the second from a rebound from a penalty after he hit the bar. I think we need a new penalty taker. :D
Team was Gregg, Mahon, Lorcan Keeney (ex Hearts & Wolves), Kenna, Shortall, McNally, Bolger, King, McWalter, John Reilly (signed from Longford), Byrne. Subs: Purcell, Last, Brennan, Tony Doyle, Forsyth

I'm not sure if McNally played in midfield with McWalter up front or if we had 5 in midfield or what.

[DmanDmythDledge]

We played 4-5-1. Think McNally was centre mid, with Kenna and Shorthall centre backs.

[pineapple stu]

Standard pre-season stuff. Went 4-4-2 in the second half when Timmy and Forsyth came on. The likes of Finn, Bermingham, O'Sullivan and O'Callaghan weren't involved as they're playing the colleges leagues anyway. Will put up a match report shortly.

[pineapple stu]

UCD started off their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win over Wexford Youths in Ferrycarrig today. It was a remarkable game for new club captain Conor Kenna, who, in the last twenty minutes, missed two penalties, scored another and also netted from the rebound of his third effort to notch his first ever goals for the club, having failed to score in 139 competitive games to date.

It wasn't a full strength team which took the field on the Youths' back pitch - some players, including Ronan Finn, Ian Bermingham, James O'Sullivan and Ger O'Callaghan. The team also included new signing John Reilly, who scored in Belfield Park for Longford in a 2-2 draw in 2006, and trialist Lorcan Keeney, a left back formerly with Hearts and Wolves, and who has played for Ireland at U-19 level.

The game was standard pre-season fare, with both clubs using the opportunity to get the cobwebs out of their collective systems. The bumpy nature of the pitch wasn't helping much either, and there wasn't much in the way of goalmouth action in the first half.

Wexford put out a different team for the second half, and this helped UCD get a better grip on the game, but there was still little threat on either keeper's goal until twenty minutes from time, when UCD were offered what seemed a rather innocuous penalty as Darren Forsyth went up for a header with a Wexford defender. Conor Kenna stepped up, but his kick crashed back off the bar. Remarkably though, as both teams scrambled for possession from the rebound, UCD were awarded another penalty after a rash lunge from a home defender. This time, Kenna made no mistake, tucking into the bottom right hand corner.

Wexford did have the ball in the net five minutes later, but the whistle had already gone and so, despite the Youths' protracted celebrations, the referee was steadfast in awarding a free out.

Five minutes from time, a poor cross into the Wexford box was needlessly handballed, and UCD had a third penalty. Kenna's kick was too near the keeper and at a nice height for him to parry, but Kenna held off teammate Darren Forsyth to pick up the rebound, coolly round the keeper and a defender and slot into an empty net.

Overall, not a lot will have been learned other than that Conor Kenna won't be on spot kick duties this season! Although the Students beat the Youths 4-0 last season in a pre-season in Belfield (also missing a penalty), the Youths provided a much tougher test this time around and a 2-0 victory certainly marks a solid start to the eason for Pete Mahon's charges.

UCD - Gregg (Brennan 88); Mahon, Keeney (Last 80), Kenna, Shortall; McNally, Reilly (T Doyle 47), King, McWalter (Purcell 60), Bolger (Forsyth 60); Byrne.

[oldyouth]

A fair report on the game Stu. A bit of Keystone Cops going on for the penalties all right. I just hope that our performance was down to rustiness and not a sign of the season to come. As for the change at half time helping you get a grip on the game, well that was mostly our 1st choice players who came on for the fringe players!!!!!!!!!

[pineapple stu]

So we drew with your reserves and beat your first team?!

Wierd.

[oldyouth]

More or less. Our keeper in the 1st half is the No.1 and Paul 'Patsy' Malone No.23 who played the whole game, would be the regulars, along with a couple of others.

[pineapple stu]

Game against Sporting Fingal on Sunday is in the NDSL complex on the Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock. Rough directions here (http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/route.asp). Bus routes here (http://www.dublinbus.ie/your_journey/viewer.asp?placeName=Oscar%20Traynor%20Road).

[Schumi]

It seems to be the pitches here (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&om=0&msa=0&ll=53.400782,-6.233239&spn=0.010874,0.029182&t=h&z=15&msid=118020630399467085648.00044626ebdbfebd294a9). The AA link above doesn't have anything on it, I think it would just show the last directions you looked for. The 11 or 16 or whatever else goes through Drumcondra would get pretty close if you get off just after the Omni Centre and cross over the motorway flyover.

[pineapple stu]

AA link is just into Coolock; best I could get.

[JR_Ewing]

inter squad match tonight ion the bowl. should be interesting :D

[pineapple stu]

1-0 to UCD. Hard on UCD though. Goal after 22 seconds. Lot of triallists, including a black lad.. Don't think we've ever had a black lad before?

[boris]

two bus routes pass the ground for sundays match. the 17 (from howth junction dart station to finglas) and the 27b ( from talbot st to harristown bus depot ) otherwise any bus going to the airport (16,33,41) and get off at morton stadium after which its about a 10 min walk from there.

[Poor Student]

The 17 goes from Rialto to Blackrock.

[Schumi]

There's a 17A that goes on the Northside I think, that's probably what boris means.

Edit: Yes, the 17A goes that way: http://www.dublinbus.ie/your_journey/viewer.asp?route=4a.

[pineapple stu]

There's a 4A that goes from around Blackrock to Harristown, I've recently noticed. Don't knowif it goes anywhere near Coolock, but could take a similar route to the 27B boris mentioned.

[Schumi]

There's a 4A that goes from around Blackrock to Harristown, I've recently noticed. Don't knowif it goes anywhere near Coolock, but could take a similar route to the 27B boris mentioned.
That goes through Ballymun, a bit of a walk over. A 746 is the best way from Belfield.

[JR_Ewing]

1-0 to UCD. Hard on UCD though. Goal after 22 seconds. Lot of triallists, including a black lad.. Don't think we've ever had a black lad before?

I vaguely remember a kenyan lad being on trials playing against either Barry Town or Hibs back in 1996 or 1997?

What about Socrates :D

[pineapple stu]

1-1 today. Timmy scored.

Socrates isn't black! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%B3crates)

[JR_Ewing]

he not bleach white :D Stop being so colour-ist - unless your from somewhere sun-bereft like donegal, we're all a shade of black ;) sure wasn't jesus black himself....

[Schumi]

I was very impressed with Timmy yesterday (his new hair apart). He looked very lively, if he plays with Paul Byrne a bit more I think they could form a useful partnership this year. The goal was from an Alan Mahon free kick, lifted into the box which he got a nice header on. Gallagher was clattered by Robbie Doyle (playing up front with Peter Hynes!) early in the 2nd half, he was hobbling quite badly on the sideline afterwards; hopefully it's not too serious.

The team was: Gregg, Mahon, Gallagher (Pat Mullins), Shortall, Kenna, McNally, Fitzgerald (???????), Finn (King), Byrne, Forsyth (Purcell), McWalter (Ger O'Callaghan)

[DRDoc]

Will the kildare game be in belfield bowl?

[Schumi]

Will the kildare game be in belfield bowl?

Yes..

[John83]

Well, I say 2-0, it may have been more. I think I fell asleep during the second half.

Also, how the hell did we get so bad at taking penalties?

Finally, nice finish Timmy.

Team (UCD): Gregg, Mahon, Kenna (McNally 45), Shortall (Last, 45), Gallagher (Keeney, 45?), Finn (Bloger, 70?), King (Doyle, 70?), Fitzgerald (, 80?), Reilly (O'Sullivan, 70?), Purcell (McWalter, 45), Forsyth (Byrne, 45).

Goals: Reilly ~25, Purcell ~35.
Missed penalties: Purcell ~25, Byrne 60?.

All of the about about as accurate as Paul Doolin's explanation of what happened during and shortly after his 'management' stint at UCD.

[Schumi]

Fitzgerald played the whole game I think.

[Poor Student]

Unfortunately we win few enough penalties in competitive games for us to be too worried about the misses.

Good to see Timmy is having a decent pre-season.

[John83]

Unfortunately we win few enough penalties in competitive games for us to be too worried about the misses.

Good to see Timmy is having a decent pre-season.
Anyone watching our pre-season will have come to the conclusion that we can be hacked at will. It's not like we're going to score.

Unless that was Pete's plan all along...

[pineapple stu]

UCD's bizarre but encouraging pre-season continued last night in the first football match to be played in the new Belfield Bowl. Two more penalties went a-begging, but Timmy Purcell scored his second goal of pre-season and new signing John Reilly got off the mark as the Students comfortably accounted for Kildare.

It wasn't quite a full strength team which started - Alan McNally, Paul Byrne and Pat McWalter all started on the bench - but UCD were quietly on top in the opening stages on a very sandy pitch which wil presumably only improve as the rugby season comes to a close. The first real chance came in the 25th minute, when the Kildare keeper unceremoniously took Timmy Purcell down near the by-line, and UCD had their fourth penalty of pre-season. Conor Kenna, who missed two and scored the third in Wexford last week, was passed up in favour of Purcell. However, it made no difference, as the kick was weak and easily saved, only for winger John Reilly to snap up the rebound and slot into an empty net.

Purcell was on the mark ten minutes later when played through by Ronan Finn and curling superbly across the keeper for 2-0.

Into the second half, and after UCD survived a scare when Kildare couldn't capitalise on Matt Gregg coming out of his box but not getting the ball clear, UCD won another penalty, again for a foul by their keeper. Second half sub Paul Byrne stepped up to try his luck, but his low effort was superbly turned away by the keeper, redeeming himself once again. For the first time this pre-season, the rebound saw neither a goal nor another penalty.

As expected, various subs took the pace out of the game in the second half, although there was time for Byrne to try his luck from distance, but again, the keeper was up to the task, turning the ball away for a corner.

The result leaves UCD still unbeaten after three pre-season games in which they've played solidly if unspectacularly. Next up is a trip to re-grouping Longford on Saturday, followed by a home tie against Monaghan on Friday week before the season kicks off for real.

[Martinho II]

look forward to seeing you on sat night lads! john reilly will get a good reception off section o!

[pineapple stu]

Off to Bunratty for the weekend, so won't be down. Will have to get yez in the Cup!

[Angus]

How was the Bowl soccer experience ?

Were we allowed move away from the stand ? Stand behind the goal ?

[davidatrb]

How was the Bowl soccer experience ?

Were we allowed move away from the stand ? Stand behind the goal ?

Ppl stood all around the place. We arrived 5 minutes before kickoff, there was a total of 5 in the entire ground, including me and my brother.

The bowl was tough to find. One of the roads through campus was strategically closed to hamper our efforts to find the place. Its a nice stand, why is it called a bowl? Nicer than the spot we played UCD last preseason!!

UCD were easily on top. Kildare hardly put an attack together. Its a good sign for the spanking new Kildare defence that they only conceded two, considering that they're all new, a couple of young lads and they were pretty much under attack for 90 minutes.

[Aberdonian Stu]

The pillars are still annoying but not to the extent they were in Belfield though you do feel further away from the action.

It was called the bowl, I would assume, because prior to all the redevelopment work the pitch was located in a natural bowl.

[HarpoJoyce]

Ppl stood all around the place. We arrived 5 minutes before kickoff..... Nicer than the spot we played UCD last preseason!!


Davidatrb, did you get a chance to video any of it? I believe some Kildare fans had a camera with them last year.

[davidatrb]

Davidatrb, did you get a chance to video any of it? I believe some Kildare fans had a camera with them last year.

Yes. Check youtube, my brother LudiChris does the filming and editting. It should be up after the weekend.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Beat Longford 2-0 today. Paul Byrne and Timmy with the goals.

[Keen2win]

Was that not 3-0:o:confused:

[DmanDmythDledge]

Was that not 3-0:o:confused:
Dunno. Got a text saying we were 1-0 up, then 2-0 so presumed that that was that.