- Josh Dolan
- Sun, Mar 27 2016
A brace from striker George Kelly led UCD to their second win of the season at St Colman’s Park on Saturday night.
The Students arrived in Cobh on the back of a disappointing defeat at home to Waterford United last weekend.
The tie took ten minutes to get going as both sides looked to test their opposition with a mix of possession based football and long balls.
However, both back fours remained strong until the tenth minute when Gary O’Neill found space inside the Ramblers penalty area, he leaped to meet a Kieran Waters set-piece, but the Cobh rear-guard recovered to clear the ball.
Despite Cobh enjoying a lot of possession in the middle third of the pitch, it was UCD who came inches from taking the lead 25 minutes in when George Kelly worked space for himself 20 yards out from goal, only to see his powerful effort creep over Paul Hunt’s cross-bar.
In a half that was largely dominated by chances for the away side, Shane O’Connor fashioned a chance for Cobh 26 minutes in when he drifted into the Students’ 18 yard box unopposed, before seeing his goal-bound effort blocked away by Maxi Kouogun.
However, that scare didn’t faze UCD and Collie O’Neill’s side took the lead seconds later, as Kelly latched onto Ryan Swan’s floated pass, before volleying over Hunt to record his second goal of the season.
Two minutes later the Student’s had a great chance to double their lead. Cathal Brady skipped past a couple of Cobh challenges before seeing his side-footed effort palmed to Kelly by Cobh stopper Hunt. However, the forward managed to blaze his effort over the Ramblers cross-bar from five yards out.
The home side had a chance to equalise just two minutes before halftime, as skipper O’Connor played a neat one-two with the ever lively Marcus Gustavsson, before firing his effort into the side-netting of Niall Corbet’s goal.
Unlike the first, there were very few chances in the second half. However, six minutes into the half Mark Langtry wriggled into some space 20 yards from goal, only to see Hunt push his low drive away to safety.
Six minutes from time the away side secured the win, as a Waters corner from the right was exquisitely headed home by Kelly 12 yards out from goal to ease UCD nerves.
There was one final chance for the Dublin side two minutes from the end, as Kelly played in Swan on his outside left, but the striker couldn’t open his account for the season as he dragged his effort narrowly wide of the far post.
The Students will be looking to build on Saturday night’s win next Friday evening when Athlone Town visit the UCD Bowl, while Cobh travel to the R.S.C. to take on an inform Waterford United side.
Cobh Ramblers: Paul Hunt; Graham McCarthy, David Curran, Andy O’Connell, Ian Mylod; Cian Kingston (Stephen Griffin 87), Jason Abbott, Shane O’Connor; Stephen Christopher (Cory Galvin 80), Marcus Gustavsson, Christopher McCarthy (Rob Lehane 72).
Subs Not Used: Eoghan Daly, Evan Galvin, Charlie Fleming, Eoin McGreevy.
Yellow Cards: Mylod (59), Abbott (60).
UCD: Niall Corbet; Dan Tobin, Brian Shortall, Maxi Kouogun, Mark Langtry; Cathal Brady, Gary O’Neill, Dylan Watts, Kieran Waters; George Kelly, Ryan Swan (Daire O’Connor 90).
Subs Not Used: Conor O’Donnell, Sean Coyne, Adam Harney, Jason McClelland, Greg Sloggett, Jack Watson.
Yellow Cards: O’Neill (57).
Referee: Andrew Mullally.
Attendance: 324
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: George Kelly (UCD).
