League Cup draw

Good report on RTÉ. Our reserves put up a good fight against what I assume was their first team (recognising a few names). Probably deserved extra time. Billy missed a penalty (has a UCD keeper ever scored for us?) and we had a few goal-mouth scrambles. Overall, Evan looked the pick of the bunch; so long as he's around, we don't need further cover in centre half.

Cups are over. Not too worried. Would have liked to win both games, but nest of luck to Wexford. Let's concentrate on rising one league position...

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Wexford Youths at home. Can't ask for more than that. :)

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Well that one came back and bit you in the hole, make no mistake about it!

Lads, why did your keeper take the peno tonight?

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Originally Posted by Mr Maroon

Lads, why did your keeper take the peno tonight?

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I don't know. There were not many experienced players on the team. I saw John 'Roco' Reilly ex- Longford Town placing the ball on the spot. Evan McMillan a centre-back was in fine form last night. But our goalkeeper travelled a long way up the pitch to take it, so it would've been impolite to refuse him.

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Originally Posted by Splurge

Well that one came back and bit you in the hole, make no mistake about it!

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Not really. It was still the draw to get. Imagine how screwed we'd have been with any other draw! :)

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Originally Posted by Mr Maroon

Lads, why did your keeper take the peno tonight?

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'Cos he's a regular penalty taker. Has scored a couple of times in penalty shoot outs, and I presume he wanted to score in a senior game.

Awful first hour or so, never looked like doing anything. We picked it up towards the end when Wexford started to drop back and could have sent it to extra time in the end. How did the ref not give the penalty in the first half though?

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Originally Posted by Schumi

Awful first hour or so, never looked like doing anything. We picked it up towards the end when Wexford started to drop back and could have sent it to extra time in the end. How did the ref not give the penalty in the first half though?

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Again we dropped back too deep bad subs on our part where somewhat to blame for falling deep.

Seen those pen decisions given and not to be honest this season but then the ref missed a lot for both sides last night.

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Originally Posted by Youths4Ever

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Seen those pen decisions given and not to be honest this season but then the ref missed a lot for both sides last night.

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Although he let Wexford play on after Evan McMillan ankle-tapped your number seven while he was running at our defence late on. The ref. came back later to book McMillan.

Normally, the most complaints about the ref come from the losing side, but I have to say he had a shocker last night. I thought the incident in the 1st half was a stonewall peno for UCD alright, and I think he realised it late on and was all over us like a rash for the rest of the game. We are a better team than our current league position might indicate (OK, I know that's not really possible) but you can see why we lose out on games. We matched you when we went forward and got relatively lucky when we dropped back.
Even when your keeper took the peno, we didn't put a man on the halfway line. Our keeper is a fantastic penalty stopper and there was the chance of a save and quick breakaway.
I've posted it elsewhere but not having a shop open and charging €5 for under 10s is not what I'd expect on my travels

Yet again this season, failure from 12 yards came back to haunt UCD as keeper Billy Brennan's missed spot kick helped Wexford Youths overcome a second string UCD in the League Cup Quarter Final in the UCD Bowl last night.

Only Timmy Purcell and Brian Shortall, the latter captain for the day, were retained from the team which lost to Cork at the weekend as Pete Mahon continued his policy of giving the next generation a chance. And having beaten St Pat's in the previous round, there were high hopes of progressing against a Wexford side bottom of the First Division.

The game started at a slow pace, and the first real talking point in the game arrived midway through the half when Timmy Purcell appeared to be bundled over in the box; referee Derek Tomney waved away strong claims for a spot kick.

Wexford showed well in the first half, but it took a defensive slip up to let the visitors take the lead. A mis-sliced shot in the box saw Billy Brennan react slowly, and Johnny Flynn O'Connor reacted quickest to slot home under Brennan.

John Reilly thought he had UCD back in the game on the stroke of half time, but his goal was ruled out for a close but correct offside call. And two minutes after the break, it was Wexford who scored a second - Brian Shortall's back header was far too casual, and Conor Sinnott nipped in to score past Brennan.

Stung into action, the remained of the game was all UCD, bar occasional counters from the visitors. Pa Doyle in the Wexford goal pulled off a good save from John Reilly before the Students were given an excellent chance of getting back into the match from the spot. Patsi Malone was controversially adjudged to have handled Darren Forsyth's volley, and Billy Brennan - who had already scored in a couple of penalty shoot outs for the U-21s and the collegiate teams in recent months - made the long trek up the length of the pitch only to balloon his kick wildly over the bar.

The pressure continued to increase, with Evan McMillan and Forsythe seeing shots cleared off the line before McMillan finally got the goal UCD deserved with a thumping header from a pin-point Greg Bolger corner - his second of the League Cup and a near replica of that previous effort against Pat's.

The pressure continued in a grandstand finish - Timmy Purcell lifted over the bar when well placed ten yards out, Seán Harding's superbly struck 30-yarder was met with an equally superb save from Doyle, but when the lively John O'Neill passed up the last chance on his debut, UCD's cup had run over and Wexford had made it into their first ever senior semi final.

Still, positives can be taken. John O'Neill impressed on his debut, Evan McMillan was composed in centre half and in taking his goal and Seán Harding looks another who has the ability to step up to the first team. Certainly, Pete Mahon's refusal to bring on first-teamers Ronan Finn and Derek Doyle as the team chased the match indicated that he was ultimately happy with his team's performance. Wexford will relish their game against either Derry, Cork or Galway, but in more sombre moments, their fans will surely reflect against a close run thing against what was effectively a side top of the A League, which may give them worries if the league season coninues on its current trend.

UCD: Brennan, Harding, Gallagher (O'Neill 58 mins), Shortall, McMillan, T Doyle, Reilly, Bolger, Forsythe, Purcell, O'Callaghan. Subs not used: Finn, D Doyle, Kelly, Gregg

Att - c 200