UCD continued their impressive home league form with a comprehensive three-nil victory against Dundalk at the Bowl on Friday night. In very wet conditions, UCD had the better of the early exchanges and took a two goal lead into the break before adding a third late in the second half.

The opening ten minutes were end-to-end with both teams using the wings and crossing balls. There were no clear cut chances until the fourteenth minute however. UCD lost the ball coming out of defence and Greg Bolger decided to try to chip Mark McGinley, who had moved off his line. The ball was just over the bar, but it would have been stopped by the UCD keeper had it been under.

UCD had the next chance as Paul O’Conor forced a really good save from Paul Murphy in the Dundalk goal after he shot from the edge of the box. The ball then fell for Graham Rusk but his shot was blocked. Cries of “handball” from the stand were ignored by the referee.

Just after the half hour mark, UCD nearly conceded a goal. Hugh Douglas took a free kick quickly but his pass to the marked O’Conor led The Students to lose the ball. The lively Bolger took the ball, beat his man on the edge of the box, and shot low for the left-hand corner. McGinley in the UCD goal produced a great save to only concede a corner.

This sequence seemed to wake up College, who stepped it up and severely punished Dundalk over the next five minutes. Stephen Doyle did well to win a corner on the left wing. It was taken by Dean Marshall and headed in to the top right-hand corner from five yards by David O’Connor.

Four minutes later, UCD doubled their lead. The Students broke from defence through Hugh Douglas. He played an excellent pass into O’Conor, who controlled it before finishing low into the right-hand corner. This was a really top class break away from UCD and it deserved the clinical finish at the end.

Suddenly UCD were two up and this seemed to give them a greater freedom to express themselves, as half time approached. They had chances to end the match, as a contest, before half-time. With a three-on-three situation presenting itself on the edge of the Dundalk box, O’Conor’s attempted pass through to Rusk was poor. Three minutes later, College attacked down the right through O’Conor and Marshall. The latter then played a ball to Paul Corry in space. He shot from the edge of the box but, with the keeper planted to the spot, the ball went just wide of the left hand post.

UCD went in at half-time knowing that if they kept up this level of performance they would get the result they wanted at the end of the match.

Dundalk came out with a bit more intent at the start of the second half but they could not create any real clear cut chances. One half chance fell to Ross Gaynor on the right-hand edge of the box, but his effort was well over. An effort from Jason Byrne on the edge of the box was similarly off target.

UCD began to re-assert themselves after this little spell of Dundalk pressure and Rusk had a chance to make it three after sixty-five minutes. He met Corry’s perfect cross with a header from six yards out. The effort went into the ground first before bouncing up nicely into Murphy’s arms however.

Six minutes later, Rusk beat his man on the left-wing and crossed for substitute Chris Lyons. The young striker could not keep his effort down from five yards out however.

UCD did eventually score a third after seventy-seven minutes. Corry gave the ball to Dean Clarke on the right wing. He played an inch perfect low cross for Lyons to tap in from four yards on the left-hand side of the goal. It was no more than UCD deserved.

There was one last chance in the game, as McGinley was made to work for his clean sheet. Carl McHugh found himself totally unmarked four yards from goal but, with the goal at his mercy, his low effort was too close to the UCD keeper.

After three minutes of stoppage time, the referee called a halt to proceedings. UCD had recorded their fourth straight home league win. They next play fellow Dubliners St. Patrick’s Athletic at The Bowl on Monday night. With the team playing as well as they are at home, The Students should have nothing to fear come Monday night.

UCD: Mark McGinley, Hugh Douglas, David O’Connor, Daniel Ledwith, Michael Leahy (Captain), Paul O’Conor, Dean Marshall (Dean Clarke 69), Paul Corry, Stephen Doyle (Chris Lyons 58), Graham Rusk (Barry McCabe 80), Darren Meenan.

Subs not used: Mark Langtry, Danny Fallon, Gerard Barron, Samir Belhout.

Dundalk F.C.: Paul Murphy, Simon Madden, Carl McHugh, Jason Byrne, Ross Gaynor, Nathan Murphy, Greg Bolger, Stephen McDonnell (Chris Reilly 71), Keith Ward, Johnny Breen, Cian Byrne.

Subs not used: Peter Cheerie, Philip Duffy, Conor McDonald.

Referee: Paul McLoughlin (Dublin).

UCDSoccer.com Man of the Match: Paul O’Conor (UCD).

UCD AFC now welcomes St. Patrick's Athletic to the Bowl tonight, k.o 19:45.

The Students are unbeaten at home in the last four games, most recently beating Dundalk three nil at home on Friday night. St.Pats mean while continue to fight for the title sitting five points of the leaders. Pete Mahon's men understand that three points on Monday are vital in order to keep those hopes alive.

Martin Russell's team will be under no illusions about the task at hand but will confident going into this fixture, with two draws and one defeat in this seasons head to heads the students will feel that they have the matching of the Inchicore side.

Speaking to www.ucdsoccer.com a head of the game Marin Russell had this to say: "We will try and maintain recent good form against an inform St. Pat's team who will be looking to continue their title push."

In team news Sean Harding (groin), Ciaran Nangle (shins) and Cillian Morrison (hip) are all ruled out.  While Robbie Creevy recently left the club in order to travel.