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Ten man UCD take point in epic encounter
Martin Russell’s young charges came of age in Tolka on Friday night with a stirring performance to take a thoroughly deserved point off Shels in the top of the table clash. UCD came from behind twice, the second time from a man down, to earn a 2-2 draw in a pulsating encounter.Both sides were noticeably up for this in front of the First Division’s biggest crowd of the season, and within ten seconds, UCD had slammed the first chance narrowly wide – from tip, Harding played up to Killer, who played in Finn, who squared for Dave McMillan on the turn; although it was wide, it was a signal of intent.
On seven minutes, UCD had the ball in the net; the same players were involved – Seán Harding’s shot was deflected, Ronan Finn helped it on and Kilduff tucked home, but the flag was up for a narrow offside.
Shels’ first real chance came two minutes later, but clinically, they scored a rather fortuitous goal. The first corner of the game was half-cleared, with their number 11 quickest to react, sticking a foot out and somehow generating so much spin that the ball curled in off the inside of the post.
Ten minutes later, UCD were level from the second corner of the game. A header at the far found Brian Shortall two yards out and unmarked, and he rammed into the roof of the net. The celebrations – once they had been checked with the linesman – involved the whole team and the bench, showing again the team spirit in the squad.
It had been a nervy start for UCD, but the goal settled them, and the visitors were soon getting much more into the game. Ciarán Kilduff went on a marauding 50-yard run down the right wing before being denied by a superb tackle on the edge of the box. However, for all the Students’ ball retention, Shels were the ones carving out the chances, often due to a remarkably uncharacteristically unsure defence. They re-took the lead on 35 from the third corner of the game – this one was delivered deep to the back post, and although Ger Barron was clearly impeded in his attempt to claim the ball, the referee allowed play to continue and after UCD failed to clear their lines, Cassidy walloped home from three yards. Barron continued his complaints, to no avail other than the picking up of a yellow card.
Rickety defending nearly let Shels in for a third before half-time; Ger Barron was left short with a back-pass and could only clear short out to the left. Shortall was dispossessed and UCD counted themselves lucky as a cross-goal shot hit the outside of Barron’s far post.
Shels’ keeper earned his corn with an excellent full-stretch save from Pete McMahon’s 20-yard effort before Peter Hynes managed the miss of the season. Barron was again left short with a back-pass, and clearly having not learned from the first close call, Hynes was found unmarked six yards out but a weak shot allowed Barron to palm away and drop on the loose ball.
The second half was a curious affair. Shels, having had the better of the first half, defended deep in the second and resorted to long-ball clearances to Flood and Hynes, trying to catch the UCD defence on the hop. It was a tactic which lacked any sort of finesse and which was largely at odds with the tactics which had earned them their half-time lead, although it often came close to paying dividends. The first clear opening came on 49 when Hynes turned inside Andy Boyle only for Barron to save well with his feet.
Another golden chance came on 61 minutes, and it marked the start of the game’s descent into controversy. Hynes again latched onto a long clearance and, as he made for goal with Robbie Creevy hanging out of him, he stayed on his feet long enough to get a shot away, which Barron again, luckily saved. UCD were now seen to be using up all their get out of jail cards as had Hynes gone to ground, Creevy would surely have seen red.
Shels didn’t have to wait long to get a man advantage, however. A minute later, UCD were awarded a free in a position where they had a clear advantage. Shels stood over the ball preventing the quick free and in a game that had been plagued with continuing niggling kicks and knocks, Shortall pushed a Shels player to the ground. This got him a straight red, and when Mulhall went into the book 30 seconds later for a shoulder charge into a Shels player’s chest, there was a real danger that the game could erupt into something nasty.
Shels racked up the fouls in the second period, stifling play while failing to change their tactics to take advantage of their numerical superiority. Their best chance in the 25 minutes which remained after the red came on 71 – Hynes found himself the man over after another quick counter, but his shot was well blocked by the despairing lunge of the recovering Creevy.
In the home game against Shels, UCD had paradoxically started to dominate once reduced to ten men, and it was the same here. On 76 minutes, the Shels offside trap was sprung by Dave McMillan, whose superb first touch simultaneously controlled the ball while wrong-footing and rounding the keeper, leaving him eight yards out of an empty goal. McMillan calmly tapped the ball in bringing the score back up to an even 2-2.
UCD could have won the game in the final few minutes with the remaining chances all coming their way.
On 82, a quick UCD attack saw John Reilly’s shot land at McMillan’s feet; his shot was well blocked, and he let the loose ball run out for a corner when it appeared possible to collect and slot home.
Controversy returned in the final minutes; Ciarán Kilduff picked up a silly yellow card for a combination of stopping a quick free kick and diving. In the 88th minute, Dave McMillan was denied by a superb save at his feet – by a Shels defender. The ref and linesman were about the only people in the ground who failed to notice the handball and blatant penalty
Still, a draw would have been taken at the outset, but the manner of its earning is especially pleasing – a triumph of intelligent football. Shels face into a massive week where they host Waterford and travel to Morton to play Fingal. UCD host Wexford – they of the excellent away record – before a relatively easy run against Athlone, Mervue and Longford, while the season ends with an increasingly crucial-looking home tie against Waterford.
UCD – Barron; Harding, Shortall, Boyle, E McMillan; Corry (Creevy 60), Reilly, Finn, D McMillan; Kilduff, McMahon (Mulhall 60). Subs not used – Leahy, Bolger, Brennan