Originally Posted by mcglinchey
Quote
By way of a report...
UCD crashed out of the League Cup after a second half collapse in the Brandywell on Tuesday evening. Although largely on the defensive in the first half, a battling performance had seen the teams go in scoreless at half time, before a moment of inspiration from Ciarán Martyn and a moment of madness from Alan Mahon settled the tie shortly before the hour.
Pete Mahon chose the game to give Matt Gregg another run in goals, while also giving Tony McDonnell a first start since picking up a head injury against Pat's last month. Alan Mahon was also back from injury, and the returning duo restored some much needed solidity to the defence after shipping four against Shamrock Rovers last Friday.
Derry started strongly, and went close early on with a drive from the edge of the box which went inches wide of Gregg's right hand post. However, the Students' defence was back to its more traditional well organised shape, and Derry were mainly restricted to long range attempts. Pat McCourt was being shadowed very effectively by Ian Bermingham, and on the one occasion he did get free inside the box, his low cross from the by line was palmed out by Gregg and cleared.
UCD threatened occasionally, particularly when Conor Sammon laid the ball off to Shane Fitzgerald on the right hand side of the D, but the winger rushed his shot and ballooned over. Two dangerous free kicks to Derry on the edge of the UCD area were poorly taken, with Gregg not being forced to work.
The Students were quicker out of the block in the second half, with Derek Doyle and Conor Sammon finding space to run at, but ultimately Derry's defence was able to get back and snuff out the danger.
On 53 minutes, Ciarán Martyn opened the scoring with yet another goal against his former club, this time firing a shot from 20 yards over Gregg, although the former Crystal Palace keeper perhaps ought to have done better.
The game was settled in two minutes shortly after the hour mark. First, an apparent exchange of words between full backs Alan Mahon and Killian Brennan after the UCD man conceded a foul resulted in Mahon remarkably head butting his opponent, who shamelessly fell to the ground to emphasise the indicent. There was no real force in Mahon's actions, but the red card was instant and undisputable. Brennan picked himself up immediately.
Two minutes after, a cross from the right was headed in by Kevin McHugh, although again Gregg's keeping was suspect as the header was straight at him, and bounced off him en route to the back of the net.
With the game evidently out of reach, UCD embarked on a curious phase of Total Football, with Shane Fitzgerald showing up at right back, left mid, right mid and up front within a matter of minutes, and this carefree approach caused Derry problems for a few minutes. However, they weathered the storm and gradually turned the screw on the visitors so that by the end, little resistence or attacking threat was being offered. A third goal was pretty much inevitable, and Pat McCourt provided it with a fine run past a static UCD defence before beating Gregg at his near post.
A demoralising defeat, then, and one which doesn't bode well for repeat trips north in the FAI Cup in September and the league in October. With Alan Mahon now facing a three match ban, more juggling will be required in a defence which has now shipped ten goals in fuor games since losing Alan Mahon and Alan McNally to injury.
UCD - Gregg; Mahon, Kenna, McDonnell, Bermingham; Fitzgerald, King (McWalter 58), McFaul, Finn (C Byrne 87), Sammon, Doyle (Crowley 87).
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