UCD sealed their second successive Dr Tony O'Neill U-21 title when outplaying their Shelbourne counterparts in Tolka Park tonight. Although the scoreline indicated a close match, had UCD taken any of their glut of chances after the half-time interval, they could have scored a hatful against an eager but outclassed Shels team.
UCD started with the same team which played the semi-final against Bohs - and noticeably, all eleven players had first-team league experience, from Séamus Long's 24 minutes in Cork before being sent off to Brian Gannon's 29 games.
With Shels fielding a very yong team - a few were involved in Shels' U-17 game on Sunday - it was no surprise when UCD took the lead within five minutes. Brian Gannon split the Shels defence and Conan Byrne tucked home from a very narrow angle.
UCD continued to threaten, and only a fine save denied Kieran Harte a goal after a superb 30-yard drive which was desinted for the top corner. The Students didn't have to wait long for their second goal, however - Conor Sammon and Ronan Finn playing a brilliant one-two on the edge of the area to free Finn, who struck hom from ten yards.
UCD eased off for the rest of the half, although Neil Gallagher in the UCD goal didn't have much more strenuous to do than punch clear a cross from the right as Shels struggled to make any sort of impact. UCD were dealt a blow when top scorer Conan Byrne was forced off shortly after the half hour through injury, being replaced by John Brophy. However, manager Brian Samson evidently had words with the team over this dropping of the pace at the half-time interval, as UCD tore into their hosts from the start of the second half. First Derek Doyle hit the post, then Conor Sammon forced a fine save from the Shels keeper before the Shels keeper again came to the rescue with a close-range block from Sammon, whose pace caused the Shels defence trouble all night, before Brophy somehow scooped the rebound over the bar from five yards.
At this stage, UCD were opening Shels up at will, with their greater physical stature and overall skill levels standing them in good stead. However, as UCD failed to get the killer third goal, Shels' confidence grew, and on the hour, Gallagher had his first real shot to save when a corner was headed straight at him. With a quarter of an hour to go, he had to be alert to tip over a superb dipping 30-yard volley, but the save only put off Shels' comeback for a few seconds as, from the corner, Daniel Ennis headed home to reduce the arrears to a single goal.
Suddenly, it was Shels who were first to every ball and, where UCD had enjoyed plenty of time on the ball in the first half, they now found themselves being hounded for possession and struggling to get a grip on the game.
Ultimately, Shels' efforts came to nothing and it was UCD who came closest to adding to their tally in injury time - this time, it was Séamus Long's to miss from close range, blasting a rebound against the bar from no more than three yards out.
It mattered little, as UCD held on through four minutes of injury time to deservedly seal their second successive U-21 title.
UCD - Gallagher; Kelly, McEniff, Tiernan, Long; Harte, Gannon, Finn, D Doyle; C Byrne (Brophy 28), Sammon. Subs not used - Last, Cashin, Moran, AN Other.
Att - c 350
