Two goals in a four-minute spell in the first half from David O’Connor and Paul O’Conor saw Dundalk’s Setanta Sports Cup qualification hopes suffer a blow as they fell to a 3-0 defeat by UCD at the UCD Bowl on Friday night, substitute Chris Lyons adding more misery with 12 minutes remaining. An even opening period saw the sides separated by two goals in ten minutes before half-time as O’Connor headed in a corner and O’Conor fired to the bottom corner following a swift break. The scoring was completed on 78 minutes when Lyons tapped in a cross from fellow substitute Dean Clarke.
Murphy in
Dundalk manager Ian Foster made two changes to the team that lost to Saint Patrick’s Athletic seven days earlier as Peter Cherrie and Mark Quigley were replaced by Paul Murphy, who made his first start since April, and Stephen McDonnell, who started for the first time since the Setanta Sports Cup final in May. The first chance fell to the visitors on 11 minutes when Nathan Murphy had the ball taken off his toe when in a good position, before, seconds later at the other end, O’Conor shot narrowly wide. On the quarter-hour mark, Greg Bolger tried his luck from distance, a shot that went inches over the target. On 22 minutes, UCD went close when Graham Rusk saw his shot beaten away by the Dundalk ‘keeper, before the striker’s follow-up was well blocked by Cian Byrne, who was starting his sixth straight game at the centre of defence.
Double trouble
At the other end, UCD No1 Mark McGinley rushed outside his box and collided with his own defender, Jason Byrne also going for the ball, but in the end it went behind for a corner, which was easily cleared. On the half-hour mark, Bolger found space outside the box and took a touch before shooting goalwards but it was deflected behind. UCD hit the front on 35 minutes when Dean Marshall’s corner was headed into the bottom corner by O’Connor. Dundalk tried to respond and McDonnell’s cross was defended well as Byrne looked to pounce at the back post. From that corner, the Students broke at pace and doubled their advantage, full-back Hugh Douglas getting down the right and putting an inch-perfect pass into the path of O’Conor who fired to the bottom corner. Keith Ward was then denied by McGinley, before UCD almost added a third but Paul Corry’s effort from distance went off target.
Reilly debut
On 54 minutes, Dundalk went close to reducing the deficit when Ross Gaynor’s corner was headed goalwards by UCD goalscorer O’Connor but it hit McGinley and was cleared to safety, temporarily, before Gaynor’s dangerous, low cross was intercepted. Before the hour mark, Gaynor found space on the right of the box but with McGinley to beat he drove just over the top corner. Dundalk continued to look for a way back into the game but they were struggling to test the home ‘keeper. Before the midway point of the second half, Marshall connected with a cross at the back post but his downward header was gathered by Murphy. On 73 minutes, Chris Reilly – from the U19 squad – was introduced in place of McDonnell to make his first-team debut. However, UCD made it 3-0 on 78 minutes when Clarke and Lyons combined, the latter tapping in a low cross, and it could have been 4-0 shortly after but Corry’s shot was well pushed away. With the last kick of the game, Carl McHugh should have scored but McGinley smothered his shot, the 18-year-old kicking the post in frustration.
UCD AFC: Mark McGinley, Hugh Douglas, David O’Connor, Daniel Ledwith, Michael Leahy ©, Paul O’Conor, Dean Marshall (Dean Clarke 71), Paul Corry, Stephen Doyle (Chris Lyons 59), Graham Rusk (Barry McCabe 81), Darren Meenan.
Goals: D O’Connor (35), P O’Conor (39), C Lyons (78).
Booked: None.
Unused Subs: Ger Barron (GK), Mark Langtry, Danny Fallon, Samir Belhout.
DUNDALK FC: Paul Murphy, Simon Madden ©, Cian Byrne, Carl McHugh, Nathan Murphy, Keith Ward, Stephen McDonnell (Chris Reilly 73), Greg Bolger, Ross Gaynor, Jason Byrne, Johnny Breen.
Booked: K Ward (67), G Bolger (81).
Unused Subs: Peter Cherrie (GK), Philip Duffy, Conor McDonald.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).
