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Holy mother of Christ...
Arrived 20 minutes late after schumi suddenly decided to hitch a lift...when we were about to leave...while he was at UCD...and the ground was just mute. Seemed the game had already killed off people's enthusiasm by then. Waterford were utterly appalling, we were better but not by much and the pitch would have put a Sunday league rugby pitch to disgrace. We ended with effectively 9 men as Daz was injured in nets, while Alan Mahon clashed heads with, I think Conor Kenna and looked dazed and out of it defensively (or maybe that's just his recent form...) and yet Waterford still couldn't so much as fathom a decent effort on target. Thank God that's over... I remember one passage where Waterford had a throw half-way inside our half. They threw it straight to Conor Kenna, whose first touched bounced 5 yards away to a Waterford player, who sliced his hoof out for a throw. Dire stuff entirely.
UCD picked up their fourth consecutive 0-0 draw in the league after a tedious encounter with Waterford in the RSC on Friday night. On a bumpy pitch which was in no way conducive to passing football, chances were at a premium and the end result came as no surprise to those present.
UCD were hit by injuries, in particular to Paul Crowley and Ronan Finn, who came off during the Pat's game the previous week, but also to Stephen Hurley, Paul Byrne, Keith Doyle and Brian Shortall. Such is the strength in depth of the current squad, however, that Pete Mahon could recall Conan Byrne and Darragh Ryan in place of Crowley and Finn, with Conor Kenna moving to centre-back and Tony McDonnell to centre-mid in a 4-4-2 formation.
The first good chance of the match fell UCD's way, but Derek Doyle blazed over from 12 yards. Waterford could have opened the scoring ten minutes before the break, but Darren Quigley made a brave save in a one-on-one situation. Quigley needed treatment after the save, and the physio had signalled for a substitution, but Quigley decided to play on. However, kick-out duty went to Conor Kenna, and Quigley fumbled the first shot after the incident, which was a daisy cutter from 25 yards out.
The second half, remarkably, was even quieter. Waterford's keeper presented UCD with their best chance of the game when, under slight pressure from the in-rushing Conor Sammon, he sliced a clearance straight to Conan Byrne, who showed good awareness in sending a first-time lob straight back towards goal, but his effort was inches wide. Waterford's best chance came from a free header no more than ten yards out, but the effort was straight into Quigley's arms when anywhere else on target would surely have been a goal.
UCD came more into the game as it wore on, with substitute Timmy Purcell impressing, but all too often, passes went astray or a bobble interrupted proceedings, and 0-0 was almost inevitable. The point does, however, see UCD close to within two points of sixth place atfer defeats for St Pat's and Bohs, although for now, the Students drop to ninth on goal difference after Longford's 2-0 win in Bray.
UCD - Quigley; Mahon, Ryan, Kenna, McNally; McDonnell, McWalter, Dicker, Doyle; C Byrne (Purcell 65), Sammon. Subs not used - Hussey, Harte, Kavanagh, McMillan
Att - c 800
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
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