UCD 3 - 1 Longford Town

• Lloyd Murphy
• Sat, May 02 2009


UCD controlled the game from start to finish on Friday night, as they ran out deserved 3-1 winners over Longford Town at the Belfield Bowl . A brace from leading goal scorer Ciaran Kilduff and a fine goal from Greg Bolger were enough to earn the Students the points, as they still sit on top on the First Division table.

The Students had a hatful of chances throughout the game, but will be disappointed with the lack of clinical finishing in front of goal.

UCD went straight on the attack, piling the pressure on the visitors. Ronan Finn went close early on after some tidy play from John Reilly down the right, but Finn couldn’t get his shot on target.

The Students positive start was rewarded when Ciaran Kilduff broke the deadlock after only 15 minutes. Greg Bolger picked up the ball in his own half, and played a measured ball over the Longford defence. Kilduff chested the ball down, brushing past the last defender, and cooly looped the ball over the onrushing Anthony Fennley in the Longford goals. The ball looked like going over, but luckily for Kilduff, it just went under the crossbar.

Minutes later, the visitors nearly equalized. Darragh Concanon latched onto a ball from a resulting corner, he struck the ball sweetly, but his strike could only find the side netting to the dismay of the travelling Longford fans, who thought he had scored.

The drama continued, as Brian McCarthy was sent off after 25 minutes for a professional foul on Chris Mulhall. Kilduff played in Mulhall, who was hacked down by McCarthy on the edge of the box. The referee had no other option but to send off the player who was the last man.

Down to ten men, Longford faced an uphill task, and it looked like only a matter of time before UCD increased their advantage . The students upped the tempo condsiderably with Ronan Finn once again going close on 27 minutes.

David McMillan should have scored on 37 minutes after Chris Mulhall turned the full-back inside out clipping the ball into McMillans path, but the keeper saved well. Minutes later Fennley was called into action again, brilliantly saving McMillans fierce drive on the edge of the box.

UCD’s dominance in the match continued, and they eventually bagged a second goal four minutes before half-time, with stunning display of one-touch football. Chris Mulhall broke down the left wing finding the feet of David McMillan, McMillan layed ball off to Kilduff, who used his strength passing the ball across the box to John Reilly, Reilly passed the ball to the feet of Greg Bolger who side-footed the ball into the top corner of the goal to cap a lovely team move.

It was more of the same in the second-half as UCD continued to put pressure on the visitors defence. Longford made two changes at half time bringing on Dereck Glynn for Darragh Concanon and Michael Lee for Jason McCartney. The Students remained unchanged.

To their credit, Longford didn’t drop their heads and made an encouraging start to the second-half. They passed well early on, but continually looked for the long ball up to Liam Lynch which caused little or no trouble to the UCD defence.

On 57 minutes, captain Ronan Finn should have made it three nil after heading over from six yards. Kilduff’s tame effort was saved by the keeper only to see the ball flick up into the path of Finn, who reacted late and headed over.

The Students were playing with ease, as Longford found to difficult to get possession off them. UCD went in search of the third goal with Reilly and Mulhall going close just after the hour. Martin Russell decided to freshen up the team and brought on Peter McMahon and Keith Ward on John Reilly and Chris Mulhall who had a fine game.

Kilduff should of made it three nil on 75 minutes after breaking the offside trap, but instead of putting his foot through the ball, he tried a delicate chip which the keeper was alive to. However, he made a mends two minutes later grabbing his second of the game.

Ronan Finn floated a inviting ball to the back post, where Kilduff rose highest to nod home from close range.

Despite being three goals down, Longford responded well, and grabbed a consolation goal in the 83rd minute with a super finish by substitute Dereck Glynn. Michael Lee easily beat defender Micheal Leahy and crossed for Glynn, who first dummied the defender, before hammering an unstoppable shot past Gerrard Barron.

Longford will be happy they finished the game strongly, but it will be UCD who will be more annoyed that they didn’t convert their possession and shots on target into more goals. However, the Students played some excellent football tonight, and their fans can still be happy in the fact they are still top of the league after nine games.

Extratime.ie man of the match: Chris Mulhall. Never stopped running all game, and was always a danger from wide areas when he got on the ball.

UCD: Barron, Shorthall (Leahy 81), Nangle, Boyle, E.McMillan; Bolger, Reilly (McMahon 64), Finn, Mulhall (Ward 71); Kilduff, D.McMillan Subs: Leahy, Ward, McMahon, Purcell, Brennan

Longford Town: Fennelly, Kenny, Gough, Sheridan, McCarthy (Sent off 25); Jinks, Concanon(Glynn 45), Curran (Murtagh 59), McCartney (Lee 45); King, Lynch, Subs: Glynn, Murphy, Murtagh, Russo, Lee

Bookings: Gary Curran (8), Brian McCarthy (Sent off 25)

Attendance:170