UCD 1 - 2 Shamrock Rovers
A fast paced, frenetic match was full of chances, near misses and passion, with both sets of fans roaring their team on.
The Hoops got off to a flying start when James Chambers fired home a spectacular free kick in the eighth minute, after Stephen Bradley was taken down on the edge of the UCD box. His low, right footed curling shot sneaked past goalkeeper Billy Brennan's left post.
The hosts reply was instant. Straight away Dwayne Wilson galloped down
the left flank and squared to Ciaran Kilduff at the edge of the box,
but his snap shot was well saved by Alan Mannus.
Five minutes later, after a spell of pressure from the home side, they equalised. Mulhall found Corry in the centre of the park and his right footed shot was deflected off Kavanagh and spun cruelly past
Mannus' right.
It was only the beginning of a wave of UCD pressure which lasted the
entire half. With their tails up and after being dumped out of the EA
Sports Cup on Monday by the visitors, they sensed another goal that
could enable them to overtake The Hoops in the Airtricity Premier
Division table.
Goalscorer Corry's free in was missed by everyone and just bounced
wide of the right post. Mulhall, industrious as ever, got in behind
the Rovers defence and pulled the ball back for Bolger, but Dan Murray
did just enough to toe the ball wide. A quick counter attack by Dwayne
Wilson for UCD nearly created a goal; after jinking inside past two
players though, his shot was blocked. A Kilduff header needed to be
touched over the bar by Mannus and from the resulting corner, Andy
Boyle failed to connect properly with his header.
Rovers only relieved the pressure only in the 42nd minute, Chambers
shot from 25 yards flying high over the bar.
The students went into half time, probably disappointed not to be in
front but encouraged by their attacking endeavour. It seemed that the
break had come at the worst possible time for the students and maybe
after such a good spell without going in front, they had missed their
chance to take all three points and overtake the Hoops. Rovers for all
their hard work and early goal had little possession and created few
chances for their danger man Twigg who was anonymous for the first 45
minutes. With all good strikers however, there lies the ability to
turn a game on its head with one moment of skill.
Rovers restarted the second half and were much brighter after what
must have been an 'encouraging' team talk from manager Michael
O'Neill. A sparkling one-two between James Chambers and Kavanagh
allowed Chris Turner to cross, only for Brennan to palm the ball
behind an incoming Billy Dennehy. The corner was met by Murray at the
near post and scrambled clear from the goal line by a well placed
Mulhall.
For all their good work early in the second half, Rovers were yet to
find the breakthrough. It finally came after inspired substitutions by
Michael O'Neill. Dessie Baker and Sean O'Connor both came on and were
both involved in the winner.
A corner from the right was cleared at the near post, collected by
O'Connor and sent back in. Baker then flicked the ball on to Twigg and
he did what all good strikers do, controlling neatly and coolly
slotted home past an onrushing Brennan.
A game of two halves for Rovers then, uninspired in the first half,
then irresistible in the second, Gary Twigg's influence being the
difference.
UCD: Brennan, Harding, Shortall, Boyle, E McMillan, Bolger, Mulhall,
Corry, Kilduff (Creevy '72), D McMillan, Wilson (Fitzgerald '72).
Subs
not used: Nangle, Leahy, Barron.
Shamrock Rovers: Mannus, Flynn, Murray, Sives, Murphy, Kavanagh
(O'Connor 61'), Chambers, Bradley, Dennehy (Stewart '78), Twigg,
Turner (Baker '69).
Subs not used: Duggan, Stevens
Attendance: 1,348
Extratime man of the match: Dan Murray