UCD 1 - 3 Drogheda

[mcglinchey]

bad performance. outplayed at the best of times. poor at the back poor goals we conceded.

[pineapple stu]

Awful stuff. Drogheda never really impressed me yet won comfortably, which is never a good sign. The pitch was appalling, and you could see that affect the players. I hope that gets fixed soon, as we can't afford to be hesitant at home.

[Student Mullet]

Alan Mahon!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!

[ndrog]

Awful stuff. Drogheda never really impressed me yet won comfortably, which is never a good sign. The pitch was appalling, and you could see that affect the players. I hope that gets fixed soon, as we can't afford to be hesitant at home.

I cant see how we never impressed you at all during the game .We put together some lovely moves in the first half , kendrick had a good game with some nice moves up the left and o keefe took his goals well .Reasonably impressive i thought . Was worried going to ucd as usual , nightmare of a place for us but chuffed to bits with the result .I think im right in saying its the best ever result in bellfield for DUFC :)

[Poor Student]

Ndrog, what did you think of the Bowl? Any idea how many Drogs fans went to this one?

The pitch is woeful. Shane Fitzgerald couldn't use his major asset of his pace to any effect as the ball bobbled away from him when he tried to get going. The ball bobbling every two seconds does not suit our style of play.

Drogheda were very solid, particularly at the back. Gavin and Gartland didn't give Purcell a look in. Drogheda's open play goals were well worked and well taken. Strangely I've seen us defend a lot worse this season and concede less.

Sligo and Bray picking up points is disappointing. We need to start putting some points back on the board to avoid us sinking further down.

[John83]

Drogheda's open play goals were well worked and well taken. Strangely I've seen us defend a lot worse this season and concede less.
This was the difference. Drogheda played reasonably well and took their chances. We played okay and were soundly beaten by a bigger, stronger, faster, better, full time team.

[pineapple stu]

I cant see how we never impressed you at all during the game
We were absolutely awful. Couldn't pass, couldn't control, couldn't do anything at all. I had visions of something worse than the 5-1 hammering against Cork a few years back. And yet Drogheda didn't do anything to make us pay for 80 minutes. Granted, in a ten minute spell, you scored one well worked goal, nearly scored a replica, got a free header and a soft penalty, but other than that, Matt Gregg certainly didn't have much to do. I thought youz laboured about, largely uninspired, relying largely on your superior strength and pace. Thought Cork and Derry were much better teams technically.


We played okay
:eek:

I'd hate to see us play badly so!

[pineapple stu]

A first ever league goal for Alan Mahon in his 241st league game, and a return from injury after seven months for Derek Doyle were the only highlights of an abject defeat against Drogheda in the Bowl on Friday night. Although the visitors never really played particularly well, they didn't have to with their hosts all at sea for much of the 90 minutes.

Having performed very competitively in the five league games to date, and indeed being decidedly unlucky to have amassed only four points in those games, Pete Mahon kept the changes to a minimum, bringing in Timmy Purcell up front to return to 4-4-2. Alan McNally, surprisingly, was the one who made way, joining Ian Bermingham and Derek Doyle on the bench.

The game started at a slow pace, not helped by the pitch, which was bumpier than it had been for any ofthe previous games played on it. On the first occasion Shane Fitzgerald tried to go off on a run down the right, the ball bobbled up to knee height and the momentum was lost. Drogheda prised out space on the left channel on a couple of early occasions, but made nothing out of their openings. The Students were struggling to find their touch and pass, and with Drogheda not showing any ability to take advantage, the game was a quiet affair from the off.

Drogheda momentarily came to life midway through the half. Joe Kendrick finally made something of the space on the left to send over an inviting cross, but Zayed completely missed his header from six yards out when it looked easier to score. A minute later, Zayed went much closer, but his drive from the edge of the area was narrowley wide.

The game then reverted to its previous mundanity for another ten minutes before Drogheda took the lead with pretty much the next meaningful attack - Aidan O'Keeffe, linked with a move to UCD last season, drilled home from 12 yards after running on to Zayed's flick on.

UCD could have equalised with their first genuine chance a minute later. Alan Mahon swung in a free kick, Paul Byrne headed down to Brian King, but the midfielder's powerful drive was well blocked by Jamie Ewings in the Drogheda goal. And they were made to pay on 45 when O'Keeffe was again on target to head home from 15 yards with the home defence absent.

Remarkably, UCD were back in the game a minute later when they were awarded a soft penalty, given against Graham Gartland. Alan Mahon stepped up, but his kick was poor and easily saved by Ewings; however, the rebound ran kindly for Mahon to tap home to an empty net from two yards out. With Mahon and Conor Kenna both having opened their accounts in the first six games of the season, Brian King is now the outfield player with most UCD games without a goal.

Any hopes UCD had of building on that lifeline were dashed a minute after the restart when Drogheda were awarded a similarly soft penalty - Killian Gallagher the unlucky party for the second game in a row. Shane Robinson was far more assertive in his kick, although ultimately had the same result.

United were happy to shut up shop after that, and UCD simply weren't good enough to make any headway as the visitors effectively played the entire second half out largely without incident.

The defeat drops UCD into the bottom three for the first time this season; it's now four games without a win. With a four point gap already opened up between the top six and the bottom six, and with the bottom six only having taken four points off the top six thus far, it appears this year's relegation battle is going to be one of the tightest on record. UCD, however, face Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians and St Pat's, along with Cobh, in their next four games.

UCD: Gregg; Mahon, Kenna, Shortall (McNally 68), Gallagher (Forsyth 89); Fitzgerald, Finn, King, McWalter; Purcell (Doyle 68), Byrne. Subs not used - Brennan, Bermingham

Att - 717

[Poor Student]

:eek:

I'd hate to see us play badly so!

I'd agree with John's assessment. As I said, at the back we weren't too bad apart from the two goals. We strung together a few nice moves but yes, our overall passing was poor. Not a great performance but not an awful one. I'd say that Drogheda and ourselves both performed to the same level of our ability i.e. average, and the gulf in quality and resources saw them win out.

[pineapple stu]

Must be some manner of bizarro world on here today?

[mcglinchey]

i hate to say i told you so but...I TOLD YOU SO. i told everyone after the bray game that brian shortall should not be playing centre half and i was proved right after last nights performance, he was dreadful, kamikazie defending at the best of times, diving into tackles and being made a fool of. he is a reserve player at best and should not have been in our starting 11.

[ndrog]

I'd agree with John's assessment. As I said, at the back we weren't too bad apart from the two goals. We strung together a few nice moves but yes, our overall passing was poor. Not a great performance but not an awful one. I'd say that Drogheda and ourselves both performed to the same level of our ability i.e. average, and the gulf in quality and resources saw them win out.

strange comment .First of all you say were both average but then theres a gulf in quality because of resources ? confusing tbh .We played ok and won 3 1 .You were paticularly awful and not up to the usual level of ucd teams over the last few seasons . We could have scored at least another 2 goals but for individual error form our strikers .We werent fantastic but its getting there for us .A great result with re to the other results over the weekend .

[Poor Student]

strange comment .First of all you say were both average but then theres a gulf in quality because of resources ? confusing tbh .We played ok and won 3 1 .You were paticularly awful and not up to the usual level of ucd teams over the last few seasons . We could have scored at least another 2 goals but for individual error form our strikers .We werent fantastic but its getting there for us .A great result with re to the other results over the weekend .

You have more money which you use to sign better players. Your players and our players both played to roughly the same level of their ability, averagely and not great, and we lost as your superior quality showed.

[DmanDmythDledge]

We were absolutely awful. Couldn't pass, couldn't control, couldn't do anything at all. I had visions of something worse than the 5-1 hammering against Cork a few years back. And yet Drogheda didn't do anything to make us pay for 80 minutes. Granted, in a ten minute spell, you scored one well worked goal, nearly scored a replica, got a free header and a soft penalty, but other than that, Matt Gregg certainly didn't have much to do. I thought youz laboured about, largely uninspired, relying largely on your superior strength and pace.
Agree with that. Mahon and Shorthall were liabilities at the back- can't believe they're at the same side of the defence. Dropping McNally was madness- he's our best centre back and the only defender who can organise the defence.

Fitz had a poor game, even taking the pitch into account. First touch is poor and once the full back can match him for pace he is ineffective. He is only useful on the counter (eg run vs Cork) but none of our players think quick enough with the ball to play this. Ideally he wouldn't be in the team but he's the best winger we have.

mcglinchey, you don't have to tell us anything- I don't know anyone who thinks Shorthall should be in the team.

[pineapple stu]

Fitz had a poor game, even taking the pitch into account. First touch is poor and once the full back can match him for pace he is ineffective. He is only useful on the counter (eg run vs Cork) but none of our players think quick enough with the ball to play this. Ideally he wouldn't be in the team but he's the best winger we have.
Worth noting it was Fitz who won the penalty. I agree he doesn't stay in games enough, but he's one who can always come up with something. If he can impose himself more on games, we could have a superb player on our hands. But I don't think the Bowl's surface is going to help in that regard.

[U-C-D]

its just u expect a lot from Fitz because you know he's capable of doing great things. im more worried about the left wing. will mcwalter be pushed up front when doyler is back or will mcwalter be dropped for doyle! Padge is not the most creative player compared to Fitz.

On another note, the headed goal was disgracefull defending by shorthall.

[John83]

its just u expect a lot from Fitz because you know he's capable of doing great things.
I think so too. There's a little to much expectation on him here right now.


im more worried about the left wing. will mcwalter be pushed up front when doyler is back or will mcwalter be dropped for doyle! Padge is not the most creative player compared to Fitz.
McWalter isn't a good winger. I think he's okay as a striker, but he'll be third choice striker and second for the left wing when Doyle is fit.


On another note, the headed goal was disgracefull defending by shorthall.
I really don't understand why McNally didn't start. He's a far better defender.