Bohs 2-1 UCD

What an awful game. Do we ever play football when we're winning?

I'll leave a report to Pineapple Stu.

Awful game? Probably, very disappointing outcome for sure. How did Quinn miss that chance in the closing minutes? and Why the hell did the defence leave Arkins almost unmarked? :(

For the third week in succession, a late goal cost UCD a deserved share of the spoils against more illustrious opponents. It was particularly galling for the Students as, having led for most of the match, slack defending let Bohs in for two headed goals in as many minutes to seal the points.

There was just the one change for UCD from the team which lost to Shels the previous week - Stephen Hurley came in for the injured Paul Byrne, with Pat McWalter being pushed up front, all of which meant still no place in the starting line-up for Gary Dicker, rumoured to be the subject of a scouting trip from Charlton manager Alan Curbishley.

The game had yet to take on any definite pattern when UCD opened the scoring with a superb goal. Barry Ferguson was guilty of a clumsy challenge five yards outside the box - and was lucky not to be sent off, let alone booked, as he appeared to be the last man back - and Alan Cawley stood up to curl the free-kick straight into the far top corner of Stephen O'Brien's goal, leaving the 5'6" goalkeeper with no chance.

The remainder of the half was fairly even, although the standard throughout the game marked it down as one of the poorest encounters between these two teams in recent seasons. Tony Grant was causing UCD's defence plenty of problems, and ten minutes before half-time, he just failed to apply the finishing touch to a low cross, while Darren Quigley denied Grant and Farrelly in the minutes that followed. And when Quigley was in trouble, Brian Shortall was on hand to hook away just as Grant was about to pounce on a through header.

In the second half, O'Brien had to be sharp to save from Pat McWalter when the forward was clean through, while at the other end, John Paul Kelly ran on to a chested pass to shoot narrowly wide of Quigley's post.

Although Bohs were getting more and more of a hold on the game, UCD did threaten on occasions, and when Conor Sammon forced a mistake from the Bohs defence on the right wing, Stephen Hurley was only inches away frmo connecting with his subsequent low cross across goal. The Bohs defence were creating more than the UCD attack, and a weak back header almost let Derek Doyle in, but O'Brien was out of his box quickly to hoof clear.

The goal which had been threatened for the past while came with a quarter of an hour to go - a fine cross from the right was met with a perfect header from Vinny Arkins. But not content with that, Bohs pressed on and could have taken the lead a minute later when a shot from outside the area hit off Darren Quigley's chest and was ultimately scrambled away for a corner. However, from the corner, Barry Ferguson was found at the far post and was able to nod home a lead goal.

Pete Mahon threw caution to the wind, replacing Brian Shortall with Ciarán Quinn, and it was the forward who spurned a gilt-edged chance in injury-time when he ran on to a flick header only to blast over the bar with the goal at his mercy and the keeper advancing off his line.

UCD - Quigley; Mahon, Ryan, Shortall (Quinn 85), McNally; McDonnell, Cawley, Doyle, Hurley (Dicker 70); Sammon, McWalter. Subs not used - Hussey, Kenna, Matthews.

Att - c 1500

Barry Ferguson should have been sent off in the first half for that foul on Podge, last man back etc. Wasn't even Yellow carded. And he pops up to score the winner. None of the newspapers I have seen today, including the Irish Times, saw fit to mention that he should have walked. But hey we are only UCD so it's ok if referee's decisions cost us matches cause according to some people we shouldn't even be in the league :(

Just found this video of the highlights on the Bohs website. Quality goal from Cawley, but amazing that Ferguson didn't walk. Some miss by Quinn at the death too...