Ciaran Kilduff was the hero for UCD as they claimed a 1-0 victory over Bray Wanderers at the UCD Bowl on last Friday evening.

UCD Bowl, Friday 26 March 2010

Brays Richie Baker, Robbie Doyle and Colm Tresson did their best to answer the call in the first half Bray and they threatened down the right flank where skipper Daire Doyle combined well with the two attackers. But with no real pre-season preparation, by the second half the Students were beginning to find the space to make incisive runs.

The ultimate margin was a single goal rifled home four minutes into the second period after the Wanderers defence failed to clear a Creevy inspired invasion from the right. His shot was blocked, so was Rusk's but then the ball fell to Ciaran Kilduff and he finished making it one-nil.

Bolger and Creevy were returning to the UCD line-up and made sizeable contributions to the evening's proceedings. Martin Russell started with Rusk and David McMillan alongside Kilduff but the Seagulls, were first to take off with Dane Massey with a powerful shot through a crowded penalty area. UCD's response was a finely judged free kick from Bolger at the edge of the box which full back Doyle was happy to flick over his own crossbar.

Rusk matched Baker's technical skill with a smart back heel but Bolger shot astray and then Nangle sent Kilduff in but the striker's drive soared over. UCD would have been ahead seven minutes from the interval but for a remarkable double save from Seagulls keeper Brian Kane. He did well to dive to stop Creevy's fierce drive and somehow got up and across to his far post in time to deflect Rusk's close range effort for a corner.

UCD skipper Evan McMillan did not re-appear for the second half, having picked up blurred vision after a clash of heads with Robbie Doyle two minutes before the break. Collingwood Cup skipper Michael Leahy stepped confidently into the breach and topped a fine substitute appearance with the nearest the home side came to a second goal, racing clear of a tiring Bray defence after 64 minutes.

 
At the other end the ever dependable Shortall was heading and blocking to good effect before Peter McMahon sent a fine long range drive whistling narrowly over the bar. Substitute Ward came even closer with a curling shot that went just the wrong side of Kane's right post and then whirred across the pitch, side-stepping four opponents, before shooting tamely at the keeper.

In the end UCD were hanging on in a match they should have won more comfortably but was enough to give UCD's start to the season a respectable air.

UCD: Billy Brennan; Brian Shortall, Evan McMillan (Michael Leahy h/t), Andy Boyle, Ciaran Nangle; Robbie Creevy, Greg Bolger, Peter McMahon; Graham Rusk (Keith Ward 72), Ciaran Kilduff, David McMillan (Chris Mulhall 72).

BRAY WANDERERS: Brian Kane; Daire Doyle, Shane O’Connor, Colm Tresson, Dane Massey; James Kavanagh, David O'Neill, Chris Shields, Jake Kelly (Shane O'Neill 83); Robbie Doyle (John Mulroy 64), Richie Baker (Pable Rodriguez Aracil 74).