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Eh, match report anyone?
Can't bloody believe we didn't win. Saw highlights later, man Micko's miss was the worst I've seen in my life.
I think we made some good noise for the size our group. Anyone watch the whole match thru yet? Can you hear us? I'd say the foreigners were defo heard chanting randomly.
Can't hear much on the telly. Though you can clearly hear Pete Mahon shouting at stages. Mics must have been the other side of the ground...
Match report - having watched the video, here we go!
For the second time this season, UCD were left to rue their finishing in taking a 1-1 draw away from Bohemians. Bohs, who have lost just one game in 11 since their 1-1 draw in Belfield, were relieved at the final whistle as UCD spurned a number of excellent chances to close the gap to the top half of the table.
UCD made two changes from the team which lost in Derry – Aaron McEniff was in for his league debut at left-back having impressed in the League Cup; Mick O’Donnell was pushed to left mid and Derek Doyle dropped to the bench, while Robbie Martin came in for Anto Murphy up front. The game was played in torrential rain throughout, which saw several players struggle to keep their footing on the slippery surface. Indeed, at half-time, the Bohs ground staff had to re-paint the lines which had been washed clean away; it didn’t work and at the game’s end, the entire centre-circle and half-way line was reduced to one ghostly blob representing the centre-spot.
UCD had the game’s first chance when Robbie Martin got space to drill in a low cross across the six-yard box which Matt Gregg in the Bohs area was equal to. However, it was Bohs who were in control early on, though it wasn’t until the tenth minute that they got their first chance, with Gareth Farrelly shooting at Darren Quigley from 25-yards. Farrelly picked up a knock in the incident, requiring three stitches, as Tony McDonnell arrived late with a challenge and was eventually subbed off. Either the ref missed the incident or put it down to the weather rather than malicious intent on the part of UCD’s captain, but no further action was taken.
However, Bohs were still pressing and playing good football; Darren Quigley made a superb stop from a shot on the turn from Stephen Ward before John Paul Kelly gave Bohs the lead with a shot from 25 yards into the corner, with Quigley possibly unsighted by Alan McNally.
Instead of the goal giving Bohs the confidence to push further on, it served as a spur for UCD to take over the game, and within three minutes, the Students could have been level when Stephen Hurley rose to loop a header against the post; Tony McDonnell just couldn’t get a touch to divert the ball’s path the vital couple of inches required to draw UCD level.
However, three minutes later again, UCD were level. Robbie Martin picked the ball up on the right and turned and played a ball into Tony McDonnell just inside the box; he was barged in the back by Stephen Rice. The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty which, in truth, looked a soft decision; it was noticeable, however, that there were no complaints from the Bohs players, and in their post-match interviews, both managers said they felt the decision was correct. Robbie Martin blasted the ball straight down the middle to equalise.
On 37 minutes, Stephen Hurley found space on the right to whip in a cross which Pat McWalter, unmarked, headed narrowly over, while four minutes later, it was Hurley’s turn to miss as he sliced wide after being played through by a fine pass from Gary Dicker. However, Bohs could have been ahead at the break only for Darren Quigley’s fine one-handed save from Fergal Harkin’s low free-kick.
UCD started the second half well in the ascendancy; first, Robbie Martin took the ball past the last Bohs defender only for Matt Gregg to be swiftly out of his goal to clear, and a minute later, Mick O’Donnell missed a remarkable chance when slicing wide from six yards after eircom Man-of-the-match Tony McDonnell had headed down a free from the left. It was a woeful miss from the normally composed Donegal man, who was unmarked and had the Bohs keeper scrambling desperately to get across. Indeed, UCD’s biggest failing was in getting their shots on target, with only one-third of their twelve attempts being accurate. Bohs, for their part, weren’t much better – four from seventeen was their stat – but UCD’s chances were far clearer and the misses far worse.
Ten minutes into the half, McDonnell was causing problems for the Bohs defence again; this time, his stooping header from Robbie Martin’s corner required a good save from Matt Gregg. And after Dominic Foley had fired harmlessly over from a free-kick right on the edge of the area, McDonnell chased down a deep cross from McEniff to set up Stephen Hurley, but Hurley’s first-time shot was just wide of Gregg’s far post. And four minutes later, McEniff played Pat McWalter through; Matt Gregg advanced to narrow the angle, but McWalter touched the ball past him and watched as the shot dribbled just wide of the far post; in fact, nearly going in off a bobble in the ground.
Bohs did have chances – after a weak clearance from McEniff, John Paul Kelly put across a good cross only for Alan Mahon to get in front of Foley and clear for a corner. From the corner, former Student Terry Palmer headed just over with his first touch.
The game did peter out towards a draw, although it was UCD who created the game’s best chance in the closing stages, when McWalter’s pace again caused problems to take him past his man and bear down on Gregg; his shot was firmly struck, but Gregg pulled off a superb stop to deny College. And from the corner, McDonnell was once again left unmarked to head inches wide.
Bohs’ frustration showed as the game entered injury-time – first, James Keddy, another facing his former club and in McDonnell, his former teammate, was booked for a late challenge, while Dessie Byrne was lucky not to be booked for a very late challenge on Alan Mahon; the referee had seemed set to book him before being distracted by an off-ball kick on Brian Gannon from John Paul Kelly, who was immediately shown the red card.
The UCD defence did have to deal with a corner in the sixth minute of injury-time – though the fourth official had signalled just three – but the disappointed reaction of captain Tony McDonnell and manager Pete Mahon at failing to record what would have been only a second win in 19 against the Gypsies certainly spoke volumes for which way the club is looking.
UCD – Quigley; Mahon, McEniff, Kenna, McNally; McDonnell, Hurley (Gannon), Dicker, O’Donnell; Martin (Murphy), McWalter. Subs not used – Gallagher, Doyle, Sammon
Att – c 1500
Thread on the Bohs forum about the match.
Aargh, we should have won that. How did Micko miss that chance? If Hurley's shot that hit the post had been a centimetre further out, Tony would have scored. And McWalter's chances! We should have scored two or three of those and the dodgy peno wouldn't have mattered.
What did everyone else think of McEniff? He seemed to do OK I thought but Micko could probably have given him a bit more protection, Harkin put him under a lot of pressure when he went forward.
Hurley was just unlucky with how it came to him - he could only get a toe to it. McWalter's misses were collectively as bad as Micko's lone one. Which one is allegedly a striker again?Quote:
Originally Posted by Schumi
I thought he did reasonably well. It's hard to judge someone like that in theat much rain. He seems to be right footed though, which was a little awkward for clearances. I'd have no worries seeing him in again for the next game though.Quote:
What did everyone else think of McEniff? He seemed to do OK I thought but Micko could probably have given him a bit more protection, Harkin put him under a lot of pressure when he went forward.
Lads i think you fail to appreciate the amount of work McWalther and Martin do for the team. They may not score as much goals as other strikers, but thats because Pete has them working as hard defensively as any other pair of strikers in the league.Quote:
Originally Posted by John83
As far as i'm concerned McWalther was the best UCD player on the pitch the other night. Caused endless problems for the Bohs defence. Martin was quieter but worked hard and hit a great penalty.
Keep it up Paj .The goals will come if you keep playing like that.
I thought McWalter did well too, held the ball up well under pressure. I think John just has a bee in his bonnet about him. :D
Behind Tony Mac, I assume? Won the penalty, set up Micko's chance and Hurley's chance, was the player an inch away from Hurley's header, had two headers which forced great saves out of Gregg...Quote:
Originally Posted by student
Podge's misses weren't as bad as is being made out either, I think. The second one was a great save from Gregg; the first one was a very small target between sneaking the ball past Gregg and inside the post - he was very unlucky with that one.
I completely agree. Mick often stood miles in field while Harkin hugged the line yet Harkin was too far back in the middle to be McAniff's resonsibility until he got the ball and attacked him with the acres of space left by Micko.Quote:
Originally Posted by Schumi
Student I think you're dead right too. Our strikers do a tremendous amount of work. Particularly Pat who works like an ox every game. Yes we'd like more goals but I think our strikers put in a very hard all round shift.
I thought Hurley deserved man-of-the-match personally. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I'm not convinced about Hurley on the right wing. I think he puts in a good hard shift and has settled a bit better into that position than ititially (he used to drift into the centre a lot) but I don't think he belongs there. However with Tony Mac and Dicker there's not much room for him in the centre at the moment.
I don't think Hurley is that comfortable on the right wing either. But at the moment he is the best option, with Gannon to come off the bench if more of an attacking threat is needed.
I think a few people here have a bee in their bonnet about O'Donnell. Left back isn't his position yet he has had to fill in their all season. It's tough to then change back to the left wing having picked up different habits at left back. give him a few matches and he'll come good. like he always does.
McEneff did well also. looks comfortable on the ball, maybe a bit shaky defensively but will give him benefit of the doubt.
I don't know, he crosses the ball very well and is good on the ball. I think the right wing suits him fine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
Incidentally eleven a side named Pat McWalter in their team of the week. But at right wing.
I've seen very little of the game (just our goal, twice, and not the incident that led up to it).
I'll stick to my tried and trusted views on McWalter. A solid striker of mid-table FIRST division standard, and a sub-division-one-sunday-of-the-superleague standard winger. So basically I rate him more than John does although I don't think he comes close to those kids from two seasons back who recommended that he went to one of the Samba soccer schools.
As for Hurley I think right wing is his best position. I understand people's arguments about him drifting inside but I don't think he'd be as good in centre mid. He's been at his most effective from far out wide I find as he makes good use of the space.
McWalter's the only UCD player to make the eleven-a-side team of the week. For what that's worth.
We all agree he works his socks off but we need finishers. Aghhh, finishers. I think Anto might be able for it up front.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
On that topic (or not! :) ), Aertel says Damo's back for tomorrow, though the team is likely to be unchanged.