Waterford United  0 - 1  UCD

Waterford United went down to title rivals UCD at the RSC last night, unable to get to grips with the College side despite a numerical advantage for much of the game. The result was a setback for the Blues, who slip to fourth place in the table, six points behind leaders Shelbourne.

An unusual first half saw the visitors with the lion’s share of the attempts on goal, though Waterford had a real chance to take the lead just two minutes in, when Kevin Waters fed Stephen Grant in the area. Willie John Kiely had lost his footing on the slippery surface, and when Grant wildly dragged his shot across the box, the striker managed to get a foot to it on the ground, forcing a fine one-handed reaction stop from Billy Brennan in the UCD goal.

Ronan Finn fizzed a 30 yard effort inches over the top five minutes in, and moments later the same player drew a flying save from Michael Devine, turning Finn’s low strike behind as he raced in to meet Chris Mulhall’s cross. Keith Ward was next to try his luck from distance for the Students, before the home side conjured another chance of their own on 11 minutes, Waters putting just too much on a looping header back across goal after Grant had crossed from the right. On 20 minutes, and again four minutes later, Finn went close for the visitors, the first a low shot from 25 yards that flew a couple of feet wide of the left post, the second an immaculately struck effort from even further out that was matched by an outstanding, acrobatic reaction save from Devine as it swerved inside the right post at the last second.

Finn was getting the freedom of the park at this stage, and on 32 minutes he again had the space to fire in another well struck effort, this one whistling inches past the left post. Moments later though, he was very lucky not to see a card as a nasty lunge left John Kearney on the deck for some time. Five minutes from the break Mulhall was fed from the left, then allowed all the time in the world to advance to the edge of the area before attempting to curl one inside the far post, Devine once again equal to the effort. The Blues netminder was in some discomfort for the last moments of the half, having seemed to have landed awkwardly while claiming the resultant corner (he was later reveealed to have a suspected broken bone in his foot), but at the break it was still honours even. An unusual half because, though UCD had many more chances, and Finn was bossing midfield, most of the game was played in the Students half, albeit with few clear-cut opportunities for the home side.

Despite Waterford stepping up a level, the game continued in a similar vein in the second period, even after UCD were reduced to ten men on 50 minutes when Greg Bolger was dismissed for a reckless two-footed tackle from behind on Grant. Finn had been booked moments before, and considering how lucky he was not to see yellow in the first half, it could well have been him heading for the early bath. Instead he was able to marshall his troops so that they made light of their disadvantage. In fact, the teams were at parity for several minutes as Kiely was off the field getting treatment for a gashed head, which also necessitated a shirt change, such was the amount of blood. The Students were certainly displaying a steeliness not normally associated with them.

On 59 minutes a nice Blues move saw Alan Carey find Dave Warren through the middle, and he slipped Graham Cummins clear, only to shoot well wide of the near post. Three minutes later Carey and Warren combined yet again, the full back overlapping at pace, driving into the area, and forcing a fine block from Brennan at his near post. And on 66 minutes the home side came closest yet, a viciously swerving inswinging corner from John Kearney deceiving Brennan and slamming into the near post. As the ball broke up the other end, David McMillan whipped in a low cross from the right that just eluded the inrushing Ciaran Kilduff. The warning wasn’t heeded by the home defence, and they were caught napping four minutes later, as Peter McMahon clipped a ball over the top to McMillan on the edge of the area, and in one fluid move he controlled, turned, and slipped it past Devine from 15 yards.

Waterford piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser, and they missed a real chance within five minutes. Kevin Murray did superbly to steal possession in the left corner, swinging in a pinpoint cross for Paul Walsh, unmarked eight yards out, but he headed well over without having to get airborne. The Blues kept pushing, and right at the death Cummins met a Carey cross at the back post but his effort was bundled behind. Warren whipped the corner in, but Murray’s header was brilliantly saved by Brennan, and that was that. A better performance from the home side in the second half, and with chances to score no doubt, but in truth UCD were worth their win. They shackled both Blues front men very effectively for most of the match, and a man-of-the-match performance from Ronan Finn in midfield saw them make light of the loss of Bolger. Next week’s Sporting Fingal game now takes on added significance.

Waterford United: Michael Devine; Alan Carey, Kevin Murray, Kenny Browne, John Kearney; Stephen Grant, Dave Warren, Kieran Fitzgerald (Paul Walsh 65), Kevin Waters (Declan Woodgate 84); Willie John Kiely, Graham Cummins – subs: Kevin Burns, Gary Dunphy, Paul Carey

UCD: Billy Brennan, Gareth Matthews (Michael Leahy 77), Ciaran Nangle, Andy Boyle, Evan McMillan, Greg Bolger, Keith Ward (David McMillan 60), Ronan Finn, Ciaran Kilduff (Graham Rusk 82), Peter McMahon, Chris Mulhall – subs: Ger Barron, Timmy Purcell

Goals: D McMillan 70

Booked: Finn, Leahy

Sent Off: Bolger 50

Referee: Padraig Sutton (Clare)