Season Review

from the University Observer:


UCD's eircom League season ended with a whimper rather than a bang, which is a credit to the achievements of a determined bunch of players against all the odds. Staying afloat following promotion is a notoriously perilous business (as Finn Harps will testify), even without losing such key players as Willie Doyle and Sean Finn. But only a late-season wobble threatened to spoil a season that saw the club make great strides on and off the field.

The Students are well used to having their star talents poached on an annual basis, but having lost the creator and scorer respectively of most of their goals during the successful First Division campaign, it was clear which end of the pitch would concern Pete Mahon. To this end, the signing of Damien Dupuy, a prolific goalscorer (it's true) during his time with Galway United, proved a spectacular failure. Despite possessing very good awareness and neat ball control, the French striker only tended to show them off with the opposition goal behind his back and forty yards away. He failed to score in a single match between the first day of the season and the last.

More impressive were the emerging talents of Gary Dicker, Darren Quigley and Stephen Hurley, the former two receiving call-ups to the Ireland Under-21 squad. Goalkeeper Quigley's reliability under pressure and outstanding reflex saves earned him the club's Player of the Year award and the attention of Drogheda United, while teenager Dicker may also have played his last for the College, with his consistently excellent midfield play attracting scouts from England.

Pete Mahon will be determined to prevent an exodus of such talent, wary of previous College players whose careers suffered for leaving too soon, not to mention the massive potential of this team, given a period of stable development. Experienced campaigners such as Alan Mahon, Tony McDonnell and Alan McNally form a reliable backbone to the side, and the College's scholarship scheme will continue to deliver the best young players from around the country.

The highlight of the season was undoubtedly a splendid run in the eircom League Cup. Having fielded reserve sides against Dublin City, Shamrock Rovers and Waterford United in the early rounds, the carrot of a Setanta Cup spot encouraged a more serious attitude against Shelbourne in the semi-final. An incredible stoppage-time turnaround earned UCD a 2-1 win and a place in the final against Derry City, held at Belfield Park in front of live TV cameras for the first time. Unfortunately, despite a fine battling performance that pushed an outstanding Candystripes team to the very end, the Students were unable to claim the trophy, losing 1-2.

The hangover from that adventure, and the FAI Cup defeat to Bray Wanderers the same week, seemed to take its toll on the league campaign. Without the injured McNally, the College defence began to leak goals while the goalscoring troubles persisted. Thirteen matches produced just one win, as Pete Mahon's side plummeted towards the relegation zone. However, a Robbie Martin penalty securing a 2-1 win in the penultimate week against Finn Harps ensured any such fears could be dispelled.

But the club's raison d'etre is such that the future inevitably takes precedence over the present, and the next generation of the club's youngsters promise a great deal. The Under-21 team did manage to deliver some silverware, winning the Dr. Tony O'Neill Under-21 Cup for the second season in a row. Perhaps the most exciting prospect is 17-year-old Ronan Finn, the star performer in the latter stages of that campaign. A skilful forward with a lethal finishing ability, Finn broke into the first team in the final weeks of the season, and scored his first league goal with a composed strike against Shamrock Rovers. With highly rated centre-back Seamus Long, classy midfielder Kieron Harte and striker Conan Byrne also looking set to make the breakthrough soon, the future looks brighter than ever.

A very successful season, and a job well done by Pete Mahon, his staff and players.

A few points. I wouldn't describe Willie Doyle as scorer of most of UCD's goals last season seeming as he failed to nab any in the 2nd half of the season. Sean Finn, Robbie Martin (did he score just as many?), Philly Hughes and Pat McWalter chipped in with many goals between them. Kenna was not mentioned in this article despite receiving an U-21 call-up too. I doubt Dicker will leave this season and has attracted serious attention from England. Close analysis of his performances beyond the deceptive and superficial silky skills show he has a lot to learn to turn it into effective play. Finn Harps was not in the penultimate weekend of our season but the 3rd last. Also I think (though I haven't seen many U-21 games) that Ronan Finn is a midfielder.

Yeah, you're right with most of your observations alright.

I thought it was a disappointing season overall. The League Cup final covered over it, but we fell away badly after that and ninth was disappointing overall as there were other teams - Bray and Waterford in particular - we could well ahve finished ahead of. Still, gives us a target for next season.

without wanting to fight fire with pedantic fire, I know one English side made an offer for/to Dicker a month or so ago, though I've not heard any more. The boy's a genius.

as the tone of the article suggests, I think it's harsh to consider the season disappointing. there were half a dozen teenagers in and around the first team squad, and as I say gaps from last year were never really filled.

an experienced striker with a bit of physical presense - or maybe two - would have made a world of difference IMHO

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Originally Posted by Burnsie

without wanting to fight fire with pedantic fire, I know one English side made an offer for/to Dicker a month or so ago, though I've not heard any more. The boy's a genius.

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Well fair enough, I apologise and don't doubt you in that case (whoever you are!), the rest is just my observation. For me he doesn't drive forward near often enough, rarely makes incisive passes and often gives the ball away with dangerous cross field balls. Genius is way too over the top in my opinion. He could be great but he has so much to learn and improve on.

of course, yes, but only the most players of his age already have very consistent levels of high performance.

his displays against Bray at home (3-2) and against Pats' and Longford (if memory serves) showed that he can really boss a game at this level. technically, there probably isn't a better player at the club and his decision-making is improving.

i know his overly adventurous passes can be frustrating but he has the skill to manage them and if anything his more audacious ones seek to provide that the extra touch of class which the team otherwise lacks in creating chances.

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Originally Posted by Burnsie

as the tone of the article suggests, I think it's harsh to consider the season disappointing. there were half a dozen teenagers in and around the first team squad, and as I say gaps from last year were never really filled.

an experienced striker with a bit of physical presense - or maybe two - would have made a world of difference IMHO

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I think that part of the problem too is a lack of proper support from central midfield for the strikers. We rarely rarely see a midfielder making the run beyond the front line or linking up properly (something I think Ronan Finn did in the Rovers came and could be capable of on a regular basis). There's also a lack of service from the wing, particularly the left. The best service comes when Hurley is playing on the right. All this denies our strikers opportunities and forces them to drift into wide positions to pick the ball up themselves with no one in the box. I think Dupuy (who I felt was talked of a bit harsley in this article) was a victim of this particularly. The man worked tirelessly. Robbie Martin I do feel is a bit too lightweight and does commit enough to 50/50 balls and seemingly lost causes. I feel if we had better support from the midfield a la Sean Finn in 2004 then we'd see more goals. The midfielders themselves would get more goals and their runs would open spaces for the strikers.

I take it you wrote the article then?;)

It's very good overall, but as far as I know Dicker's under contract, which lessens the chance of him moving. I think Tranmere were interested, but haven't heard anything more (google revealed nothing).

I stand by the disappointing tag though. Give Rovers their points back and we're one point off the play-off. We had a run of one defeat in 11 in the middle, but had a very bad start and a poor finish. Plenty of room for improvement.

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Originally Posted by Burnsie

His displays against Bray at home (3-2) and against Pats' and Longford (if memory serves) showed that he can really boss a game at this level. technically, there probably isn't a better player at the club and his decision-making is improving.

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Apparently (though I missed it) you can add the 3-2 defeat to Waterford at the end of the season to that list.

yes you're right, but i suppose what i was trying to say was that there's plenty of potential for improvement too

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Originally Posted by Burnsie

More impressive were the emerging talents of Gary Dicker, Darren Quigley and Stephen Hurley, the former two receiving call-ups to the Ireland Under-21 squad.

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Dicker was in the U21 squads as well.

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Originally Posted by Bald Student

Dicker was in the U21 squads as well.

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Eh, the former means the earlier two, latter would mean the later two. So he did indeed say that Dicker was called up. Anyway he'd be double wrong in the other case as Hurley got no call up. That's the engineer in you again.:D

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Originally Posted by Poor Student

For me he doesn't drive forward near often enough, rarely makes incisive passes and often gives the ball away with dangerous cross field balls. Genius is way too over the top in my opinion. He could be great but he has so much to learn and improve on.

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I have to say that I think Dicker is probably the most skillful player I've seen with UCD. His touch and ball control are excellent and a bit more experience (this was his first full season in the first team don't forget), his passing will become more effective. A few more and better options from the strikers would help this no end too.

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Originally Posted by Poor Student

I think that part of the problem too is a lack of proper support from central midfield for the strikers.

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I agree. I said it at the start of the season - we'd miss Finn far more than Doyle. When we lost Sulli too, I thought we'd be in a bad way for goals. I don't think Dicker has done the job either of them could have.

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We rarely rarely see a midfielder making the run beyond the front line or linking up properly (something I think Ronan Finn did in the Rovers came and could be capable of on a regular basis).

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He's certainly an interesting prospect, but it's too soon to assume he'll make it in the senior team. He has less playing time than Paul Byrne.

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There's also a lack of service from the wing, particularly the left. The best service comes when Hurley is playing on the right.

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Agreed, but the most penetration comes when Gannon is there. The problem is that with nothing coming from the left and little enough through the middle, he doesn't get the space to make an impression. If one of them could handle the left, I think we'd make more chances. I have to admit that Podge has improved on the wing, but I'd still prefer to see him up front. The choices there just don't impress me right now.

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I feel if we had better support from the midfield a la Sean Finn in 2004 then we'd see more goals. The midfielders themselves would get more goals and their runs would open spaces for the strikers.

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Exactly the problem, IMO.

Well haven't I been saying it's been (League Cup run apart) a poor season all along? And I got lambasted for it :(

Just out of interest CTID if you can remember back to early March what were your predictions/aspirations for the season? Mine were to avoid relegation (achieved), get the youngsters Prem division footie in order to do well the following season (achieved) and hopefully a run in the cups (achieved)

Gary is very good but like I keep on saying (and as Poor Student seemed to earlier) he's not the finished article.

I was accosted by Tommy McNally when he saw the pic of me giving Quigley player of the season as he felt Dicker should have won it. Personally I think the majority of voters got it right in not giving it to Gary as Quigley as more consistent, albeit admittedly in a position where consistency is an absolute necessity.

I have seen more naturally gifted players han Dicker in the blue shirt, Ciaran Kavanagh springs to mind, but I will concede that there are only a handful that spring to mind.