Cork game

[pineapple stu]

Anyways, we have a game tomorrow.

Our Media Officer is checking out the birds at Wimbledon (he'll be home soon now that Sharapova's out), so I don't have a preview, but Bermo must be a doubt after coming off before half time against Monaghan. We'll probably go 4-5-1 again, but we need more up front than just Podge on his own. McFaul's still out for this one; will presumably make his debut against Wexford next week.

[John83]

I'm note sure whether or not I'll make this one.

Is the new issue of Stig ready?

[pineapple stu]

Just about.

Note there's ice cream before the match tomorrow. Some promo. Got a UCD text about it there today, and it's on the website too. Wrong weather for it though!

Edit - to qualify the STIG progress, I'm only waiting on dmanetc. As usual... Let's not have it as late as last time!

[pineapple stu]

Meh.

Holding on well until they scored; first real opening. After that, we were never going to get anything out of it. Fair play to Cork - every time we got the ball, they had two or three lads straight onto us, harrying us off it. Deserved the win. Not an important game though.

[colmanthesaint]

Not a good night results wise - a defeat at home, while Harps won and Cobh have a very winnable game tonight IMO.

Though with Galway losing and the fact that from this point on McFaul will now be able to play matches are very good positives

[pineapple stu]

Cobh losing 2-0 after ten minutes. :)

Sligo winning 2-0 after ten minutes. :(

UCD's dismal home form continued with Cork City taking a comfortable three points from the UCD Bowl on Friday night. Despite not creating many chances in the 90 minutes, Cork had a stranglehold on the game for a long time, with UCD never being allowed to settle in possession. Indeed, Cork were far more effective without the ball rather than with it, but either way, they were ultimately far too strong for the Students.

There was only one change from the shock defeat to Monaghan on Tuesday - Timmy Purcell came in up front for John Reilly. Cork, by contrast, could find no place for the returning George O'Callaghan.

The game was slow enough to get going, with the first real chance coming midway through - Dave Mooney, the league's most on-form player, found space behind Alan Mahon and lofted a cross to the far post where Ian Bermingham just about beat Danny Murphy to the ball at the expense of a corner.

Cork took the lead on the stroke of half time in a manner which typified the game. On a rare UCD attach, Pat McWalter broke the offside trap but, finding no-one up with him, was forced to go back to Alan McNally. Instantly, he had two Cork players on him, who nabbed possession and started a quick counter. The visitors, with a man over, worked the ball out across to Mooney, on his own at the near side of the box, and he curled an excellent shot across the boughs of Matt Gregg and into the far corner.

Any hopes of a UCD comeback were dashed ten minutes into the second half. Darren Murphy sent in a cross from the right, and Mooney got in between two defenders to glance a header past Gregg for his second of the night, and eleventh of the season, one ahead of Mark Quigley in the leading scorer stakes.

He could have had a hat-trick a short time later, but his 30-yard piledriver was excellently tipped over by Matt Gregg. After that, Cork were content to sit back and play out the game without any real threat from the home side - the introduction of Shane Fitzgerald livened things up a bit, while Derek Doyle was over with a shot from the edge of the area.

The game sees UCD's winless streak against their bogey side extend to eleven games and, coupled with Finn Harps' win over Bray, dumps the Students back into the relegation zone. The re-signing of Shane McFaul may help improve matters, while Pete Mahon is still on the look out for a new forward. A League Cup quarter-final is next on Tuesday, followed by another tough league tie away to Drogheda on Friday.

UCD - Gregg, Mahon, Shortall, Kenna, Bermingham; Finn, King (Bolger 68), McNally, Doyle, Purcell (Fitzgerald 68), McWalter (Reilly 85). Subs not used - McMillan, Brennan.

Att - c 700

[mcglinchey]

i possibly would have started with fitzy out wide with ronan finn and brian king in the middle with mcnally partnering kenna at the back. i think that would have been a more stable starting eleven. I know i keep harping on about this but brian shortall was terrible and would be lucky to get a game for a lsl team, i just cant understand why mahon plays him. maybe now with mcfaul available he will revert to our first choice back 4 and let mcfaul partner king/finn in the middle.

[HarpoJoyce]

I noticed on Friday how good a ball winner Brian king is. I was well impressed.

[Poor Student]

Not an important game though.

Every league game is important. The point we could have dug out against Cork before Mooney scored the first could have come in handy. I don't think we can afford to write off any league game. The second half against Cork and the cup game against Monaghan lacked any of the fluidity and accurate passing of the Sligo game and have been pretty disheartening to watch. McFaul's signing will hopefully see the best back four restored with McNally in the middle but the lack of options up front are the poorest I've seen since watching UCD and that says something.

[John83]

I noticed on Friday how good a ball winner Brian king is. I was well impressed.
He's been really good all season.

[pineapple stu]

Every league game is important.
But some are more important than others.