Bray Wanderers' first win in four years over UCD extended their unbeaten home run to 18 games - and one defeat (to UCD last season) in 34 - but in truth UCD will have left the Carlisle wondering how they failed to pick up at least one, if not all three, points from an open enough game.
UCD made two changes from the 2-0 defeat to Drogheda the previous week - Conor Kenna failed a fitness test while Brian Shortall was dropped; Mick O'Donnell moved to left-back, with Anto Murphy coming in at right-wing and Podge McWalter moving out to the left; while Stephen Hurley came in in the centre of defence. Hurley was particularly impressive in bringing the ball out of defence and indeed was eager to join the attack whenever possible.
Bray had the upper hand in a fairly poor first half which saw far too much random hoofing from both sides. Darren Quigley was called into action midway through the half with an excellent block low to his left, with the rebound being blocked wide, while another Bray chance was scuffed harmlessly - almost amusingly - wide.
At the other end, UCD offered fairly little early on, and though they did have the ball in the net, the whistle had long gone. Too many high balls meant Robbie Martin and Damien Dupuy struggled to get into the game.
When the opener came, there was more than a touch of good fortune about it. Pip Keogh's shot was going harmessly wide until it took a deflection to end up in the path of Wes Charles, whose finish from ten yards out was clinical.
UCD upped their game after that and got into a series of threatening positions - a few throws in line with the area mainly - without ever making O'Connor in the Bray goal work, and at half-time, Bray were probably about worth their lead.
UCD came out all guns blazing for the second half, which was almost one-way traffic. Unfortunately, the build up was all too often as slow as a one-way stream of tractors going down the M50. Three minutes in, Damien Dupuy went close with a scissors kick, and he tried his luck from distance a few minutes later only to be even further off target. Bray's game was falling apart at this stage, as far too many clearances were either skied or found touch; in particular, Chris O'Connor was wasteful with many goal-kicks.
UCD were starting to get the ball down more and play through the middle, but the final ball was often overhit. Anto Murphy saw plenty of the ball down the wing, but UCD posed little danger in the air from either his crosses or Mick O'Donnell's corners, of which there were several. One in particular lead to a scramble at the back post, which resulted in Anto Murphy going to ground, but the referee booked the UCD midfielder for diving.
Bray occasionally threatened on the break, and ironically had the better chances to score. Darren Quigley reacted well to turn away a drive from the edge of the area, with Alan Mahon throwing himself in the way of the rebound; from the corner, Quigley was on hand to parry away a bullet header.
UCD kept attacking, however, and their best chance of an equaliser came a quarter of an hour from the end, when a cross from the left found Damien Dupuy six yards out, but he put his free header wide when it looked easier to score. Though Dupuy was not to find the net, it certainly wasn't for want of trying, as minutes later he was through on goals - he just about beat O'Connor to the ball only to lift his shot over the bar. Both players were down for treatment after they clashed into each other in the incident.
Late on, Bray resorted to timewasting to hold on to their lead - Wes Charles went down with a leg injury in injury time, only to get up immediately the ref made it clear that he wasn't going to hold up the game for him; not content with that, Charles stood in front of the free-kick taker to replace a divot in the ground - fortunately, the ref had the sense to add another minute on for this, but it was one of those games where the College could have played another hour or two and still not scored.
Bray, it must be said, looked a very ordinary side, particularly in the second half when their passing was nothing short of woeful, and UCD will be particularly disappointed to have dropped three points to them. However, performance-wise, it was a marked improvement on the Drogheda game the previous week, and if Bray can draw in Cork, why not UCD?!
UCD - Quigley; Mahon, O'Donnell, Hurley, McNally; McDonnell, Anto Murphy, Dicker, McWalter; Martin, Dupuy. Subs not used - Gannon, Shortall, Adrian Murphy, Kierans, Gallagher
Att - 1500
