Pre-season friendlies

[pineapple stu]

1-1 today. Timmy scored.

Socrates isn't black!

[JR_Ewing]

he not bleach white 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]

UCD 2-0 Kildare

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.