Bohs come from behind to rob UCD of a win

UCD 1 BOHEMIAN FC 2 Bolger (pen) Byrne 81, Cretaro 81.

It was an extraordinary evening and a night of high drama with a significant crowd at the UCD Bowl for the first home game of UCDs Airtricity League campaign. Among them the welcome arrival of a vociferous group of UCD fans complete with drum. “We are top of the League!” they chanted when the home side took the lead, however this was to be silenced as Bohs came from behind with two superb goals to rob the students of a top spot.

It was UCD who had the better of the first half while Bohs were limited to half chances throughout, with Owen Heary going closest with a header from Paul Keegan's corner that was cleared off the line by Stephen Roche. Scoreless at the break, it was the students who took an unlikely lead eleven minutes into the second half as Ciaran Kilduff beat Chris O'Connor to Chris Mulhall's perfect through ball and the striker crumpled after going over the Australian stopper. Bolger converted cooly to give Martin Russell's side the lead and the possibility of a home win against the champions.

Twelve minutes later the young midfielder showed his inexperience by foolishly kicking the ball away to earn dismissal through a second yellow card. His departure, as much as Bohs, Jason Byrne's arrival, were the turning points of the game.UCD suffered further misfortune when Shorthall, who had been injured in the first minute of the game, was forced to depart twenty minutes later.

Within the sixty seconds of the 81st minute Bohs had exchanged defeat for victory.

UCD stopper, Billy Brennan had no chance with either goal which did not reflect his courageous performance throughout the game. Chris O'Connor took a free kick quickly and found Cretaro who beat Andy Boyle in the air and laid the ball on to the onrushing Byrne. He played a one-two with Glenn Cronin before rifling an unstoppable rising drive into the net. And the travelling fans' relief shortly turned to ecstasy within 30 seconds as Cretaro won the ball back after the restart and beat Brennan with a low curling shot from the edge of the area.

As cross after cross bombarded the home goal, with the head of skipper Evan McMillan prominent at the barricades and his partner Andy Boyle putting his body on the line on more than one occasion, UCD were unable to create a chance that secured a possibly deserved draw or even sneak a win. Even with the score line going against them, the young UCD side can be confident in the season ahead.

UCD:Billy Brennan; Brian Shorthall (Michael Leahy 65), Evan McMillan, Andy Boyle, Ciaran Nagle; Keith Ward (Robbie Creevey h/t), Greg Bolger (s/o 67), Stephen Roche; Chris Mulhall, Ciaran Kilduff, Graham Rusk (David McMillan 84). BOHS: Chris O'Connor; Owen Heary, Brian Shelley (Anto Murphy 61), Stephen Gray (Jason Byrne 75), Conor Powell; Gareth McGlynn, Glen Cronin, Paul Keegan, Killian Brennan; Mark Quigley, Paddy Madden (Rafaelle Cretaro 59). Referee: Tom Connolly