UCC (EA Sports)

Very worrying performance from the Youths tonight as they showed no discernible shape or pattern and lost out to a spirited UCC side on a 2-1 scoreline. Youths made four changes from the team which started against Cabinteely with Seamus, Jimmy, Craig McCabe and Rocks starting and went with Seamus, Craig McC, Ryan, Lee, Jimmy, Drukie, Craig W., Peter, Craig C., and with Rocks and Conor up front. Youths started the brighter and Rocks hit the post with a header after five and then the rebound came back to him which he hit narrowly wide. After eight minutes, Conor English rounded the UCC keeper but his cross into the box from a tight angle was knocked away for a corner. However, UCC scored from their first attack when McLeod showed more pace than the Youth's defenders to reach a very long ball out of the UCC defence and he tapped it past Seamus Houghton in the Youth's goal for 1-0 to the away side. UCC nearly repeated the same goal only two minutes later, but this time Seamus just managed to grab the long ball first and got a kick in his head for his troubles. With 24 minutes gone, Youths gave the ball away badly in their own half and the UCC centre-forward squared the ball unselfishly to give McLeod an easy tap-in for 2-0 to UCC. Tackles were going in at this stage and both sides picked up a yellow card apiece before UCC had the ball in the net again from a shot which found a UCC attacker in the box. However, he couldn't believe that he was then flagged offside to leave the game at 2-0 to UCC at half-time.

Youths applied a bit more pressure in the second period but, as in the first half, gave the ball away constantly and thus created little in terms of goal-scoring chances. The best efforts from the Youths came from two free-kicks when Conor English and Rocks Keenan worked the UCC keeper. UCC also managed to hit the outside of the post with a header during this period. With ten to go, Youths brought on Gary Delaney, Conor Whittle and Danny Furlong. Youths pulled one back with five minutes to go when Rocks set up Peter Higgins about 25 yards out, and he smacked it nicely into the top-roght corner to bring it back to 2-1. Youths applied further pressure after that but didn't look likely to get the equaliser to leave the final score at 2-1 to UCC.

Best for Youths were Rocks, who worked hard as a target-man up front but was well-marshalled by a resolute UCC defence while Jimmy Dermody offered natural width down the left hand side and Craig Wall was very energetic in midfield. However, ball retention by the Youths was shocking and the whole effect of the Youth's display was that of headless chicken syndrome - lots of guys actively running around without any discernible effect. Shane Keegan has some work to do to shape this team into a credible force. 2-1 to UCC at full time with about 120 at the match.