Good result, Cobh are a good side at home. Team tonight was same as Rovers, except Shortall starting instead of McNally.
Bohs (h) and Pats (a) up next, I would be happy with a point from those two game. Nothing wouldn't exactly be a disaster either as they are 1-2 in the table. After that important game against Galway (h), 3 points is a must from that.
Poor performance. Cobh cut through us at times, but didn't have anything up front. Happy enough with a point having watched the game.
It may be three and a half years since UCD and Cobh last met, but the Ramblers continue to be UCD's bogey team, with the Students easily the happier to escape with a point from a ground in which they've only ever won once. A wasteful Cobh front line was the main reason they didn't win, with a penalty miss arguably not even counting as their best chance of the 90 minutes.
There was only one change from the team which played so well in Tolka Park last week - Alan McNally was out after the recent passing of his father, with Brian Shortall taking his place. Following from his debut goal against St Pat's on Monday, John Reilly made the squad for the first time in the league.
The game burst into action, with Cobh wasting two gilt-edged chances in the opening four minutes. In the very first minute, Conor Kenna had to block a poewrful shot from the edge of the area; from the rebound, Cobh swung in an inviting cross from the right which Conor Meade somehow headed wide from six yards out with no-one challenging. And on four minutes, Conor Kenna slipped when faced with a long through ball, which left Davin O'Neill through one-on-one, but Matt Gregg produced a fine save with his feet at the very edge of the box, although O'Neill really should have scored.
Hesitancy at the back characterised the game for UCD in the opening minutes as Cobh attacked at will. Kieran O'Reilly burst into the box and went down over Matt Gregg's outstretched arm, but the referee was having none of it and booked the Cobh forward for diving. Cobh had another shout for a penalty five minutes later before they got third time lucky on 27 minutes when Ian Bermingham was somewhat harshly adjudged to have fouled Meade. It was the fourth penalty conceded in as many games by UCD - all by the left-back at the time, and all harsh to a certain extent - but Matt Gregg pulled off his second spot kick save in a week when diving to his left onto O'Reilly's weak effort.
Just a minute before, UCD had had their first real chance when Derek Doyle's effort cracked off the post, but the Students' passing was poor at the best of times, and Cobh were being allowed far too much time on the ball. On 34 minutes came a replica of the first minute chance, with another excellent cross right across the face of goal, but this time there was no maroon jersey on hand to apply the finishing touch.
However, as Cobh failed to take their chances, UCD came more into the game, particularly in the second half with the wind at their backs. Shane Fitzgerald and Ronan Finn were again instrumental in much of what the Students created. Cobh keeper James McCarthy was called on to make a superb one-handed stop from Paul Byrne after a good cross by Alan Mahon, while Fitz set up Byrne only for his shot to be stopped on the line and scrambled away, and in the last few minutes, Fitzgerald and Byrne got in each other's way as both lined up to shoot across the keeper, having gotten free into the box.
The final chance went Cobh's way - a shot drilled in and deflected over the bar for a corner. It was appropriate that Cobh would end on top but ultimately fail to get a serious shot in on goal - a decent microcosm of an entertaining game.
UCD: Gregg; Mahon, Bermingham, Kenna, Shortall, King, McWalter, Finn, Byrne, Doyle, Fitzgerald. Subs; Reilly for Doyle 80, Purcell for McWalter 90.
Booked - Finn
Att - c 500
Pretty much sums up the game there and the story of our season so far we just cant put away our chances,thought the UCD right side of midfield was about your most active in the second half and you did spurn some chances when inviting balls were placed in the box.Cant agree with your att figure although it certainly wasnt 1200 it surely wasnt only 500 next fe games crucial for you should know where you stand after Galway game!
Four penalties conceded in four consecutive games. All given away by our left back, twice Killian Gallagher and twice Ian Bermingham. Strange stuff.
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