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Cork City held by spirited Students

Friday 31st March 2006, 10:43 pm

Neale Fenn holds off UCD's Gary Dicker.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Cork City were held to a disappointing scoreless draw by UCD at Belfield Park tonight. The College were well worth their point and at times looked like they might nick all three points against the defending eircom League champions.

Cork City really struggled to find their feet and ran into a well organized UCD defence with a number of the Cork players having off nights to say the least.

A night of frustration began for Cork midway through the first half when the returning Roy O'Donovan tried to play in Billy Woods after some trickery down the middle although a vital UCD tackle averted the danger.

At the other end Alan Mahon threatened to cause problems and hid ambitious ball over the top would have caused problems if Cork keeper Mick Devine hadn't grabbed hold of the ball. Moments later Paul Byrne glanced a header past the Cork goal as he connected with Darragh Ryan's wicked cross into the area.

A desperate lunge from UCD defender Darragh Ryan denies Colin O'Brien.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Denis Behan was one of those who had a frustrating night for the visitors and his manager Damien Richardson was livid when the striker failed to spot Woods with the midfielder in acres of space.

Neale Fenn looked set to head Cork in front from an in swinging Danny Murphy corner-kick but somehow a UCD boot managed to flick it away to safety from the goal-line. UCD again posed a few questions of the Cork defence just before the break but the half-time whistle arrived with the game still score-less.

Both sides resisted half-time substitutions although Stephen Hurley lasted only a couple of minutes before Gary Dicker arrived to replace the injured UCD man.

Roy O'Donovan was one of the few to perform for Cork with the suspended George O'Callaghan clearly missed. O'Donovan caused a number of problems down the right wing but like many of his team-mates, couldn't find the final ball.

Alan Cawley gets to grips with Cork City's Joe Gamble.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Woods sliced an effort well of goal as Cork's frustration grew. Neale Fenn fired narrowly wide after the hour and he could have broken the deadlock a minute later when he controlled inside the six yard box but was robbed of possession before he could do much.

Behan almost turned his night around when he volleyed on target at the back post but Darren Quigley easily grabbed hold of the ball. It was no surprise that Behan was withdrawn with John O'Flynn replacing him. The change injected some energy into the Cork attack and Colin O'Brien almost got in on goal only to see Darragh Ryan get a boot on the ball inside the area.

UCD then created the chances of the night in the closing five minutes. Pat McWalter forced a superb stop from Devine while Dicker could have netted in the follow up if he had kept his footing.

Dan Murray went close to grabbing a winner at the other end as he connected well with Neal Horgan's cross, heading down at goal. Quigley though had a straight-forward save and in form on the night he wasn't going to fumble it.

Neale Fenn is denied another chance in front of goal.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Cork are still unbeaten after four league games and sit second. UCD are mid-table and if they recreate the performance of tonight in future games they should have a decent season ahead.

UCD : Quigley, Mahon (Matthews 86), Ryan, Kenna, McNally, Hurley (Dicker 47), Cawley, C Byrne, McWalter, Sammon, P Byrne (Doyle 71).
Cork City : Devine, Horgan, Murphy, Murray, Lordan, O'Brien, Woods, Gamble, O'Donovan, Fenn, Behan (O'Flynn 75).