Daniel Kearns and Johnny Breen scored at the end of either half as Dundalk deservedly defeated UCD 2-0 at Oriel Park on Friday night, as they recorded their first clean-sheet in ten games. The home side should have been ahead in the opening half but Ger Barron denied Kearns before in-form Mark Griffin shot wide. They had the lead at the break, though, as Kearns converted from the penalty spot after Griffin was fouled. Kearns then hit the post after half-time and Griffin again failed to find the target when one-on-one. Dundalk had further chances to extend their lead but they had to wait until the final minute of normal time to do so as substitute Breen latched onto Keith Ward’s pass and finished well over the visiting No1.
McHugh debut
Dundalk manager Ian Foster made just one change to the team that drew with Saint Patrick’s Athletic five days earlier as the suspended Mark Quigley was replaced by new signing Carl McHugh, who made his first-team debut having played for the Reserves on Tuesday evening. Ward took up station on the right of midfield, with Stephen Maher joining Greg Bolger in the middle, and Kearns sitting in behind frontman Griffin. UCD started brightly but it was Dundalk who had the first shot on goal as, after Kearns was fouled, Ward’s free-kick came back off the ball and fell to Maher who shot from 20-yards. The home side had calls for a penalty as the visitors blocked the ball, but referee Alan Kelly waved away the appeals.
Settled
Dundalk settled into the game and McHugh was unlucky as he attacked a corner, before Simon Madden and Ward combined down the right, the home captain breaking into the box before his run was stopped. The first real chance came on the quarter-hour mark when Kearns got into the box and his low shot forced Barron into a good save as he blocked behind with his legs. On 28 minutes, as both sides struggled to make inroads in attack, Robbie Creevy had a great chance to put the Students in front, but from ten-yards he fired a first-time shot well over from a great position. It took another nine minutes for the next chance to arrive as a poor Ciarán Nangle back-pass allowed Griffin to steal in but, with just Barron to beat, he shot into the side-netting.
Kearns strike
Foster’s side eventually hit the front on the stroke of half-time. From a Madden cross, Griffin was pushed in the back by captain Michael Leahy, and Kearns stood up to send Barron the wrong way and give his side a narrow lead at the break. The young star could have made it 2-0 within two minutes of the restart but, after latching onto Ward’s pass, he hit the post from six-yards. On the hour mark, Ross Gaynor picked out Maher in the box with a neat pass but the midfielder’s touch allowed it to run away from him when a better one would have put him in a great position to score. On 66 minutes, Dundalk again should have doubled their advantage as brilliant touches by Ward in the middle of the pitch gave him space to put Griffin in, but with just the ‘keeper to beat he shot wide. Fifteen minutes from time, Griffin fed Kearns with a fine pass but, after cutting back, his shot was blocked.
Breen clincher
Griffin almost got in behind shortly after but Barron got there first. At the other end, Dean Marshall fired a 20-yard free-kick narrowly wide of goal. Ward and substitute Breen then combined on the edge of the box, the latter drilling just over the bar. Soon after, Nathan Murphy attempted to put Breen through but he couldn’t get on the end of the pass, before Kearns launched a terrific run past the visiting defence, Breen just unable to connect with the low cross. But Dundalk did wrap up the points in the final minute of normal time as Ward’s superb ball over the UCD defence was latched onto by Breen inside the box and he finished well over Barron. To add to a good night for the Lilywhites, they recorded their first clean-sheet in ten games, and will travel to The Brandywell next week with confidence as they look to go into the midseason break on a high.
DUNDALK FC: Peter Cherrie, Simon Madden ©, Dean Bennett, Carl McHugh, Nathan Murphy, Stephen Maher (Philip Duffy 90+2), Greg Bolger, Keith Ward, Ross Gaynor, Daniel Kearns, Mark Griffin (Johnny Breen 81).
Goals: D Kearns (45+1), J Breen (90).
Booked: None.
Unused Subs: Paul Murphy (GK), Chris Kerr.
UCD AFC: Gerard Barron, Seán Harding, David O’Connor, Michael Leahy ©, Ciarán Nangle, Dean Marshall, Paul Corry, Robbie Creevy (Eoin Roche 61), Paul O’Conor, Daniel Ledwith (Cillian Morrison 61), Samir Belhout.
Booked: M Leahy (45+1), C Nangle (63).
Unused Subs: Mark McGinley (GK), Tomás Boyle, Seán Russell, James Kavanagh, Stephen Doyle.
Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).
Attendance: 850.
