UCD 1-0 Sligo Rovers

[DmanDmythDledge]

Boring enough game. We had plenty of the ball but couldn't really penetrate the Sligo defence all too often. Worth the 1-0, but it was all we deserved.

We already have 2 more points than last season, having played 4 games less.

[pineapple stu]

Yayyyy! The Milky Bars are on me!!! (I didn't win that much...!)



UCD secured a trio of wins over Sligo Rovers with a last-gasp goal from winger Pat Kavanagh. The win was probably deserved, with UCD making most of the attacking and limited their hosts to chances on the break, but for a long time, it looked as if this typical end-of-season clash was going to end goalless.

With recent signings Keith Doyle and Paul Crowley suspended and injured respectively, Darragh Ryan and Stephen Hurley came back into the team after recent injuries. The game started at a decent pace, with Pat Kavanagh getting in behind the Sligo defence early on only for his shot to be blocked away, while on twelve minutes, Faz Kudozovic struck the top of the bar from all of 25 yards out. Three minutes later, UCD thought they had taken the lead, but the linesman ruled out Derek Doyle's strike on the basis of offside.

Sligo threatened mainly through left-back Keith Foy's left book, and Foy was only narrowly wide on 25 minutes with a 30-yard effort on seeing Quigley off his line, while shortly afterwards, Tony McDonnell was booked for a highly dubious foul, with Foy's free kick being easily cleared by the UCD defence.

Pat Kavanagh was UCD's best provider, and shortly before half-time, his cross across the six-yard box was headed wide by Gary Dicker.

The second half was poor enough fare, only coming to life ten minutes before the end when Derek Doyle picked the ball up inside the area and went past two Sligo defenders before his shot was touched wide by the Sligo keeper. In injury time, a deep throw was cleared off Gary Dicker's boot, and Conan Byrne skied the rebound when he looked odds on to score.

However, two minutes into injury time, UCD did seal the three points - Pat Kavanagh chased a through ball and just about beat Sligo keeper Dick Brush to it; his slide tackle knocked the ball under Brush, and Kavanagh reacted quickest to get up and pass the ball into the net, past the two Sligo defenders who were back covering for his second goal in as many games.

UCD - Quigley; Kenna, Ryan, McNally, McDonnell; Hurley, Kavanagh, Dicker, D Doyle (C Byrne 85); Finn, Sammon (P Byrne 68). Subs not used - Harte, Hussey, Shortall.

Att - 270

[dfx-]

The circus act makes it three out of three...?

[John83]

Disappointing attendence, but it's fantastic to win two on the trot. A win or probably even a draw against Longford will have us finish in seventh.

[pineapple stu]

Very very slim chance of finishing sixth too. Pat's have to get one point from nine and we have to win, but we've got Longford at home, whereas they've got Cork and Derry at home and Longford away.

[Poor Student]

It really makes you think what might have been had it not been for the week of madness where we threw away leads against Longford and Bray which melted four points away. A few other wasted opportunities like a lead turned into a defeat against Bohs at Dalymount and the Quigley clanger versus Shels. The top four would have been a big ask anyway, but fifth could have been attainable. I'm bloody sick of repeating it but if we don't get relegated we have a great opportunity to build and progress. Comparisons with last seasons league table shows that there has been an incremental improvement. A few more points, a lot less goals conceded and goals scored are only marginally down. I'll be gutted if we're relegated not just because of simple relegation in itself but from the perspective that possible future progress will have been killed stone dead by madness.

[Poor Student]

We're guaranteed 8th as Bohs can't catch us now. The run in goes:

Pat's:
Cork (home)
Derry (home)
Longford (away)

Longford:
UCD (away)
Pat's (home)

UCD:
Longford (home)

We're all intertwined. If we can beat Longford and Pat's take no more than a point from their remaining games then we can finish 6th. If we lose to Longford we'll definitely be 8th. A draw may see us finish 7th if Pat's beat Longford. I'd still like to finish 6th, it's been a while since we've had a top half finish.

[DmanDmythDledge]

I'd expect us to get 3 points against Longford. That would mean Pats would need 2 points from their 3 games. I think they'll get those two points against Cork and Longford.

[Poor Student]

The thing is they'll want to be avoiding suspensions and injuries so there could be a degree of taking it easy and resting players.

[DmanDmythDledge]

The thing is they'll want to be avoiding suspensions and injuries so there could be a degree of taking it easy and resting players.

That's a good point. They will be going to Longford knowing they have to get a result(probably).

[Schumi]

Pretty dull game again, why do we only win when I don't care? Great to see Kavanagh score again as he's been great in the last few games.

Foy was only narrowly wide

Nothing narrow about him.