UCD 0-0 Sligo Rovers

[sligoman]

Predictions for Friday lads?

Is there much space to hang flags in 'The Bowl'?

[deecay]

Derry put their flags on a grass hill

[pineapple stu]

There be indeed.

Need to win this one. And we're due a win against yez. But not predicting nothing!

[DmanDmythDledge]

Bermo's out of this one, U19 on Thursday.


Is there much space to hang flags in 'The Bowl'?
Yeah, there's a good bit of room. There's a fence just to the left of the seating area and, as paulie said, a hill beside that too. Don't know if there's space at the front, might be advertising hoards there.

[Poor Student]

Bermo's out of this one, U19 on Thursday.



The U-19s are playing tonight and Friday. Both against France. Perhaps he could play the one tonight and return to us for Friday?

[DmanDmythDledge]

Dunno, we entitled to withdraw him as it's a friendly. We've Gallagher and Keeney though so we have decent cover if we don't.

[redtildead]

Will we have a roof over our heads or where will we be?

[DmanDmythDledge]

Will we have a roof over our heads or where will we be?
Yes. Away fans will be in the first section of the stand when you go in the entrance.

[redtildead]

Cheers

[Rovers1]

will there be seats where we are? need to know what drum ill bring :D

[DmanDmythDledge]

Yes, we even have seats too!

[Titan]

Yes Lots of seats!

[Rovers1]

Yes Lots of seats!

SWEEET!!! seats are my friends :)

[pineapple stu]

Are you Aberdonian Stu?

[John83]

Are you Aberdonian Stu?
He doesn't disguise well.

[Poor Student]

Dunno, we entitled to withdraw him as it's a friendly. We've Gallagher and Keeney though so we have decent cover if we don't.

Bermo didn't even figure on the bench last night. It'll be a poor decision if he plays on Friday instead.

[Jeebus]

Is there a bar on the campus near the ground where we can go for pints before the game?? Need to organise a meet up spot for our Dublin Supporters Club plus those travelling up from Sligo.

[pineapple stu]

Forum bar, outside the Sports Centre and about two minutes' walk from the ground.

[Jeebus]

Forum bar, outside the Sports Centre and about two minutes' walk from the ground.

Thats great, cheers. Is the Sports Centre at the roundabout as you come in from the Clonskeagh entrance?

[Schumi]

Thats great, cheers. Is the Sports Centre at the roundabout as you come in from the Clonskeagh entrance?That's it, yeah.

[John83]

Yes. The forum bar is in the student centre, which is the next building down from the sports centre coming from Clonskeagh.

On this map (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.309371,-6.227649&spn=0.00459,0.010042&t=h&z=17), the Bowl is top centre, the sports centre is the one just left of bottom centre which looks like a giant cattle grid, and the student centre is the next building to the right of it.

[Jeebus]

Yes. The forum bar is in the student centre, which is the next building down from the sports centre coming from Clonskeagh.

On this map (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.309371,-6.227649&spn=0.00459,0.010042&t=h&z=17), the Bowl is top centre, the sports centre is the one just left of bottom centre which looks like a giant cattle grid, and the student centre is the next building to the right of it.

As in the building just below the car park on that map??

[Schumi]

As in the building just below the car park on that map??Yes. .

[feo123]

forum bar it is :D will ye all be there ucd lads?

[Titan]

Lads,

If you want access to the forum bar you will need to e-mail me your name, what supporters club you are with (if any) and how many in your party.

I got a PM from Rory H to cover the 10 Dublin Supporters club members but anyone else will need to send an e-mail to colin.forde@ucd.ie.

Not trying to be awkward but due to licensing conditions the bar are not allowed to let non students in. THey can make an exception if UCD AFC invite you. Therefore we need a list of names from people attending in order to make sure they let you in.

[red arrow]

whats pitch like? i know it will be better than the "showgies". is it a first class
carpet?

[DmanDmythDledge]

whats pitch like? i know it will be better than the "showgies". is it a first class
carpet?
The rugby season is almost finished so the pitch isn't in great condition at the moment. It's a bit sandy and bumpy, but not really all that bad. It's fine for a passing game.

[feo123]

The rugby season is almost finished so the pitch isn't in great condition at the moment. It's a bit sandy and bumpy, but not really all that bad. It's fine for a passing game.

could be windy enough as the ground looks kinda open enough?

[DmanDmythDledge]

could be windy enough as the ground looks kinda open enough?
Suppose so. Depends on the wind though.;)


Bermo didn't even figure on the bench last night. It'll be a poor decision if he plays on Friday instead.

I double checked and it's definitely Thursday.;) He'll hardly play full game so could be alright to start.

[pineapple stu]

Match preview (http://www.ucdsoccer.com/index.php?a=5). Byrne suspended cos someone screwed up and got the suspension dates wrong. Guess who?

[Poor Student]

That explains why Bermo didn't play for the U-19s. I wouldn't be too confident about winning this one with Byrne out and having to possibly shift a few players.

[DmanDmythDledge]

I wouldn't be too confident about winning this one with Byrne out and having to possibly shift a few players.
Byrne will be a loss. The only possible shift would be moving McWalter upfront, which is no problem, and putting Fitz out wide left- I would be surprised if he did that. Also could put Finn behind Timmy, but that would lead to more changes in the midfield and changing what has been our strongest area so far this season- so that is presumably ruled out.

I'd hazard a guess that Pete will go with Forsyth upfront. I haven't been that impressed with Forsyth to date- seems to have a poor first touch and poor positional sense- but parterning Timmy will suit him best. It will be interesting to see how he does, if he starts.

[feo123]

is killian gallagher still with ye?

[DmanDmythDledge]

is killian gallagher still with ye?
Yeah, why you ask?

[feo123]

cousin used to go out with him

[Schumi]

Sligo seem to have half of their team 'doubtful' for tonight. http://www.eleven-a-side.com/ucd/news.asp?n=31560

[DmanDmythDledge]

Sligo seem to have half of their team 'doubtful' for tonight. http://www.eleven-a-side.com/ucd/news.asp?n=31560
Cash and Moore wouldn't have started, Cash would be a good player to come off the bench though. Butler and Peers would have started (Peers still could :(). Don't know anything about Butler but Peers was excellent any time we played Sligo last season.

[feo123]

peers will be out for a few weeks. butler has impressed me so far, has a very good delivery from free kicks and is very strong. peersy is peersy what you see is what you get

[SligoBrewer]

cousin used to go out with him

I'm related to him..

[deecay]

Id like to complement a certain forum user on a rather dashing bicycle helmet

[pineapple stu]

Why thank you.

Would you believe I left it behind?

Fortunately, I have a spare.

[pineapple stu]

On the game - what an awful, awful game. Don't know what happened. Nice to know Sligo are as bad as us. Will do a report when I remember anything that happened. Crowd of 525, which is the highest official or counted crowd I have for this fixture (which goes back to the First Division games)

[Poor Student]

Definitely our sloppiest performance of the season. We really need to be getting 3 points at home against our fellow relegation rivals to secure safety.

[Burnsie]

Ugh, that wasn't a pleasant debut at the Bowl. Goes without saying that neither side offered anything going forward - were there more than three shots on target all game? Hopefully Byrne would have made a difference for us.

Gregg badly needs to get that leg of his straightened but he did earn us a point with his tip over from Moore's chip and by saving brilliantly as Kudozovic (?) tried to go around him following Shortall's error.

Speaking of whom, I thought he looked a little ropey throughout the whole game. Hopefully with a run of matches, his confidence will improve and he can re-establish his previous strong partnership with Kenna.

Finn is gamey and put himself about, and at least he showed some endeavour with some bursts forward, not that the ball ever reached him. I feel he doesn't boss games like he did when he first emerged, but maybe it was just an off day.

Padge really ought to have put that chance away, obviously. I got the impression he put it in the one spot where Brush had a chance to keep it out. Smashing play by King to set him up though, served that fullback up like a kipper, showed a great turn of pace, and then picked out a great pass at the end of his run.

The front two were completely toothless.

I know Sligo were missing players but judging onthat performance, they're going nowhere fast. Boco had some nice touches but didn't get involved much; Kudozovic seemed to have a bit of class about him, and there was a bit of pace on the wing, but that was about it.

[John83]

King had a great game, and I thought Gallagher did well at left back, but that was it really. The conditions didn't help, but still... At least we looked livelier after the substitutions, regardless of what Dmanetc thinks of Pete's tactical ability!

I'm looking forward to Doyler being fit again - Podge is wasted on the wing.

[Schumi]

Will do a report when I remember anything that happened.
In the meantime, here's RTE's report complete with a photo of Matt Gregg doing an excellent Darren Quigley impression. http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0328/ucdsligorovers.html

[pineapple stu]

Good report actually.

Didn't realise Bolger was on the bench.

[pineapple stu]

Following a five goal thriller on the UCD Bowl's debut three weeks ago, last night's game against Sligo saw the other end of the spectrum with what can only be described as a turgid game played in a stiff breeze, freezing cold and occasional swirling rain.

How the Students cope when hit by a few injuries and suspensions is going to be a key factor in determining how successful or otherwise this season will be, and last night, missing Ian Bermingham, Paul Byrne and the still-injured Derek Doyle, they struggled to get any rhythm into their play. The two consolations from last night's game are a point in the bag and the fact that, on last night's showing at least, Sligo won't be too far from the drop come the season's end either.

Killian Gallagher and Darren Forsyth were brought in to replace the injured Bermingham and the suspended Byrne, with John Reilly, Pat Mullins and Greg Bolger making their first appearances on a decidedly lightweight bench. UCD started reasonably, however, and on 13 minutes, Alan McNally headed narrowly wide from Brian King's cross, while two minutes later came the best chance of the match - Darren Forsyth beat his marker all ends up on the half way line to find acres of room; he made it to the edge of the box before pulling back a low cross for Pat McWalter, whose shot from 20 yards was straight at Richard Brush in the Sligo net; he could only parry, but his defence finished clearing the danger.

However, even by this early stage, the game was already being defined as one where first touch was poor, passes went astray and players seemed unassured as to what the ball would do on the bobbly pitch. Sligo were winning the possession battle, but still found it hard to hold onto the ball to create any clear cut chances. Matt Gregg dealt comfortably with a couple of hopeful shots from outside the area, while on 38 minutes, former Student Anto Murphy was gifted space inside the area, but Gregg saved well with his feet.

Sligo continued to press into the second half, but Matt Gregg wasn't really tested until twenty minutes to go, when Brian Shortall left his back header short under pressure from Benin international Ramuald Boco, but the UCD keeper was out quickly to make a superb save as Boco tried to go around him. Ten minutes from time, Gregg was called on again to tip over Alan Moore's 25-yard lob.

Again, however, it was arguably UCD who had the best chance of the half - Timmy Purcell's header was only half cleared, Alan McNally's drive from the edge of the box was blocked and Conor Kenna's shot on the turn was well over from less than ten yards out.

UCD looked more lively after the introduction on the hour of Shane Fitzgerald for the largely ineffective Darren Forsyth, but if ever there was a game where neither side deserved a point, this was it. As it is, the draw sees UCD move ahead of Drogheda and, until they play tonight at least, Cork and into the top half of the table.

UCD - Gregg; Mahon, Gallagher, Kenna, Shortall; McNally, King, Finn, McWalter; Purcell, Forsyth (Fitzgerald 60). Subs not used - Brennan, Bolger, Reilly, Mullins.

Att - 525

[deecay]

Why thank you.

Would you believe I left it behind?
Thats a shame