Soccer

Hoban strikes twice as Dundalk move to the top of the table

Stephen Kenny’s side produce a strong second-half display to overcome UCD at Belfield

UCD’s Gareth Matthews and Dundalk’s two-goal hero Patrick Hoban clash during the Premier Division match at UCD Bowl, Belfield. Photograph: Inpho
UCD’s Gareth Matthews and Dundalk’s two-goal hero Patrick Hoban clash during the Premier Division match at UCD Bowl, Belfield. Photograph: Inpho
Fri Apr 11 2014 - 22:52

UCD 1 Dundalk 4

Dundalk produced a dominant second-half display as they overcame UCD by 4-1 at Belfield last night.

The hosts went close early on through Chris Mulhall who fired over the bar but they opened the scoring midway through the half when Robbie Creevy's delightful pass was fired home by Gary Burke.

Gradually, the pressure was increased on the home goal with Richie Towell’s speculative effort from Stephen O’Donnell’s cross arrowed too close to goalkeeper Conor O’Donnell in the 34th minute.

The visitors equalised in the 43rd minute with Tomas Boyle initially clearing from Kurtis Byrne but Patrick Hoban was on hand to steer a precise header across O'Donnell from Horgan's subsequent cross.

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Dundalk drove forward with increasing confidence on the restart with only a last-ditch tackle denying Hoban his second of the evening in the 47th minute.

However, a calamitous two minute spell ended UCD’s challenge with Stephen O’Donnell poking home a Hoban knock-down in the 57th minute and Mark Langtry’s own goal two minutes later added further misery on the students.

After Hugh Douglas was dismissed in the 78th minute, Hoban popped up four minutes time to steer home a cross from substitute David McMillan.

UCD: O'Donnell; Matthews, Boyle, Douglas, Langtry; Belhout, Benson, Burke, Creevy, Mulhall (O'Halloran, 80); Morrison (Kavanagh, 81).

Dundalk : Cherrie; Gannon, Rossiter, Boyle, Massey; Byrne (McMillan, 84), Shields, Towell, O'Donnell (Higgins, 68), Horgan (Meenan, 79); Hoban.

Referee:Robert Rogers (Dublin)