UCD went down 2-1 to Sligo Rovers on Friday night at the UCD Bowl in the penultimate fixture of the students first season back in the Premier Division.

At first glance the stats do not impress.   Rovers won all four League encounters this term and the margin of their superiority on Friday was wider than the score might suggest.   But a closer inspection reveals sizeable positives and the ultimate report reflects “well done” as much as “could do better”. 

Having secured senior status for next season, Martin Russell took the opportunity to give a few fringe players a run, a brave enough decision considering the quality of the opposition.   Except that there is a sizeable pool of talent ready, willing and able to step up without noticeably weakening the line up.   Indeed, agreeing what is UCD’s first choice eleven could inspire lengthy debate and the consensus vary from week to week.   An unusual factor in selection is who attracted the manager’s eye in the latest under 20 and “A” team fixtures; many managers do not even attend reserve team games.

Take Michael Kelly, who filled in effectively at full back for a couple of games earlier this season.   Handed an opportunity in his preferred position of central defender, he took over from Michael Leahy who has himself deputised so effectively for Andy Boyle in recent weeks that the under 19 International has been unable to reclaim his place.   In most clubs Friday would have been the chance to reinstate him; instead the manager put Boyle into Wednesday’s Under 20 semi final at Dalymount and chose Kelly on the strength of consistent form in the “A” team.   The fourth choice justified his selection with a focused, determined display.   Of course every member of this battery of options for central defence is more Gareth Southgate than Gavin Peers when it comes to physical maturity but that goes with the territory.

Another inclusion after long term injury was full back Sean Harding.   “He’s a fine player,” commented my guest from Russia, not knowing it was Harding’s first game back after a long absence, and so he is.   UCD have a quiver full of full backs ranging from the relatively experienced Shortall to the manager’s teenage son Sean.   You could permutate almost any two with confidence.

The first half on Friday ended scoreless and showed both sides exchanging sophisticated soccer that was pleasing to the eye.   If anything UCD shaded it but the tell tale stat was that Billy Brennan was the busier keeper early on, saving well from John Russell twice in the first four minutes.   UCD don’t have anyone like Russell, now fulfilling his potential after a career dogged by injuries.   Nor do they have a Richie Ryan, Benin international Romauld Boco or the extraordinary Joseph Ndo.   Where is Benin and how old is Ndo?   I mean how old is he really?

UCD’s only first half chance went to the precocious Paul O’Conor on the half hour but Sligo keeper Ciaran Kelly made a good stop.   The trouble with the home team’s tippy tap was that, well confronted by a resolute Sligo defence, it yielded little end product.   I logged one multi-pass movement that began on the half way line and ended up with keeper Brennan without the need for a Sligo player to get a foot in.

The visitors showed how it should be done at the start of the second period.   After only eighteen seconds Boco burst down the right and sent over a wonderful cross which Matthew Blinkhorn converted with a towering header.   Two minutes later Boco himself got a second goal, cutting into the penalty area from the right to neatly lob the ball over Brennan as the onrushing keeper went to ground.

There was a momentary fear that the Blues might unravel but instead they hit back with David McMillan rattling the outside of Kelly’s post from a free kick.   Sligo responded with respect and it was another fifteen minutes before UCD got another chance, Kelly leaping to turn Kilduff’s header over.   It was the goalkeeper, whose fly kicking had been suspect throughout the evening, who eventually handed the lifeline by blasting a clearance against Kilduff’s back from whence it rebounded into the net.   Cool dude Kilduff did not celebrate, acknowledging his supine role in the matter.   With only five minutes remaining he must have guessed that the keeper’s aberration was not going to influence the result of the match.

UCD: Billy Brennan; Sean Harding, Michael Kelly, Evan McMillan, Brian Shortall; Paul O’Conor (Chris Mulhall 67), Greg Bolger (Stephen Roche 79), Robbie Creevy, Graham Rusk (Dwayne Wilson 67);  David McMillan, Ciaran Kilduff.

SLIGO ROVERS: Ciaran Kelly; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Derek Foran, Iarflaith Davoren , Romauld Boco, Joseph Ndo,  John Russell, Richie Ryan, Gary McCabe (John Dillon 72) ; Matthew Blinkhorn ( Eoin Doyle 82).

UCD 1 (Kilduff 84) SLIGO ROVERS 2 (Blinkhorn 45, Boco 47) 

By Brian de Salvo