UCD 0
Shamrock Rovers 3
Andrew Dempsey reports from the UCD Bowl
UCD HAVE BEEN relegated from the Premier Division after falling to a home defeat
against Shamrock Rovers tonight.
Joey O’Brien, Graham Cummins and Brandon Kavanagh all netted for the Hoops who
secured a routine win at the UCD Bowl over the beleaguered Students.
With just sheer mathematics keeping the hosts in the top flight, Students boss Maciej
Tarnogrodzki made three changes — with Liam Scales returning to action after his
international exploits last week with Stephen Kenny’s Ireland U21s.
Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley made four alterations himself, with former Irish
international Joey O’Brien returning to the starting XI after missing out on the
recent win over Finn Harps.
Rovers saw their early dominance pay, when Joey O’Brien headed home to score his
second goal of the season.
Dylan Watts’ set-piece found Lee Grace at the back post, before the ball reached O’Brien,
who made no mistake from close range.
The Hoops almost made it two minutes later, with Cummins firing wide after a superb
pull back from Neil Farrugia picked out the Cork City loanee free inside the penalty area.
Bradley’s charges continued to press and probe, and they were soon rewarded for their
positive play when Cummins made it 2-0 at the back post with a fine header.
Former Student Farrugia went on a mazy run, cutting inside and out to find the 31-year-old forward, who guided his effort home inside the six-yard box.
Brandon Kavanagh then got on the act after the hour mark, as he profited from a Conor Kearns mistake before slotting home into an empty net.
The game petered out somewhat following Kavanagh’s strike, with Rovers managing the
game comfortably, as the Students’ First Division return was finally confirmed.
However, the Hoops will hold concerns over the fitness of Farrugia and Watts, who
were both forced off injured during the game ahead of the 3 November FAI Cup final against Dundalk.
UCD: Conor Kearns; Daniel Tobin, Liam Scales, Evan Farrell, Mark Dignam; Jack
Keaney, Paul Doyle; Dara Keane (Ciaran Behan, 88), Richie O’Farrell, Jason McClelland
(Sean McDonald, 69); Yoyo Mahdy (Sam Byrne, 20).
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Ethan Boyle, Lee Grace, Daniel Lafferty, Joey
O’Brien (Roberto Lopes, 61); Ethan Boyle, Greg Bolger, Neil Farrugia, Aaron McEneff
(Graham Burke, 61), Dylan Watts (Gary O’Neill, 29); Brandon Kavanagh, Graham
Cummins.
Well, it’s finally here. Andy Dunne, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey make a call on Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final with New Zealand.
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud