Originally Posted by pineapple stu
UCD suffered their biggest defeat since 2001 and one of their biggest home defeats since joining the league as a combination of eleven UCD off days and some scintillating football from Cork City saw the visitors leave Belfield with a 5-1 win.
Despite the return of Alan Mahon to the squad, manager Pete Mahon made only one change from the side which had beaten Bray and Drogheda in recent weeks - Aidan Lynch replacing Brian Shortall in the centre of defence - while his counterpart Damien Richardson brought Liam Kearney back into the team as expected, with John O'Flynn - whose recent visits to Belfield Park have included a hat-trick and an injury afterthree minutes - partnering Neale Fenn up front.
Despite Cork being unbeaten in nine games compared to UCD's seven, much of the media had gone for a UCD win, or at worst, a tight draw. From the off, however, it was clear that UCD had left their footballing boots in the dressing room, and Cork should have been one up in side ten minutes when they had a three on one break, but the through ball to Fenn was too far behind. Shortly afterwards, Darren Quigley had to be at his best to turn a free from 20 yards around the post.
The breakthrough which had been threatened came midway through the half, but when it came, it was a hugely disappointing goal from UCD's point of view. A cross from the right should have been dealt with comfortably, but instead Lynch headed it straight downwards, where Liam Kearney was waiting to poke home from inside the six yard box.
Two minutes later, it was 2-0. Liam Kearney was given acres of room on the left to swing in a cross, which John O'Flynn met with a header which just about scrambled over the line despite Quigley's efforts.
Although UCD's defending was pretty poor - and was to get worse as the game wore on - they still posed a threat going forward, with Mick Devine punching clear a couple of corners under pressure before College did pull one back. Stephen Hurley put in a free kick from the left which Tony McDonnell met with a glancing header past Devine.
The remaining quarter of an hour was fairly even, with the goal giving the Students the confidence to get back into the game. And just before the break, they could well have been level, However, two minutes after the restart, Liam Kearney went down very dramatically onat the corner of the box under a challenge from Mick O'Donnell, and a penalty was awarded. John O'Flynn converted with ease.
From then on, there was only one team in the match, as Cork repeatedly ran through the UCD defence with ease and 5-on-3 situations were all too common. Again, however, UCD were keen to give Cork a helping hand, and Neale Fenn made it 4-1 when his shot on the turn from the edge of the area was palmed into the net by Quigley when it looked easier to save.
A couple of minutes later, a rare tackle rebounded to John O'Flynn, lurking inside the area - he rounded Darren Quigley, but Alan McNally was back in time to clear off the line.
As the rain came down, more goals were inevitable. There was only one more in the end - a carbon copy of O'Flynn's earlier miss, only he had learnt his lesson from then and this time tucked the ball into the back of the net with ease.
All in all, a thoroughly depressing evening as UCD's fine recent run of form came to a rather emphatic end. The only positive is that it's as well a perforamance like this came against Cork rather than one of the teams in lower mid-table, while UCD will have a chance to get the game out of their systems as early as Monday, when they take on Waterford in the League Cup quarter-final.
UCD - Quigley; Kenna (Mahon), O'Donnell (Shortall), Lynch, McNally; McDonnell, Hurley (Sammon), Dicker, Martin; Whitmarsh, McWalter. Subs not used - Gallagher, Gannon
Att - 506
