FAI Cup third round UCD 5 Drumcondra 0The primary ambition for Drumcondra during last night's FAI Cup match at Belfield was to avoid defeat and to this end they packed five men across midfield and played a lone striker, Brendan O'Brien, up front.
Their caution was understandable as two weeks' pre-season training is hardly the ideal preparation for taking on the pace-setters in the National League's First Division. Drumcondra now ply their trade in Division Three of the Leinster Senior League, a far cry from their halcyon days as a League of Ireland club: their jerseys alone a reminder of former days.
Given their reticence to push forward the visitors spent the majority of the first half ensconced in their own half. UCD's Seán Finn offered a cultured presence in midfield, Pat Sullivan a constant threat on the right wing. The football was neat and tidy, the passing crisp and the opportunities materialised with reasonable regularity.
Alan Mahon's cross-cum-shot after two minutes could have given the home side a fortuitous start but just drifted over the crossbar. Mick O'Donnell's clever through-ball should have led to the opening UCD goal but Sullivan, who had drifted from the right wing to the inside left channel, flicked the ball past both Drumcondra goalkeeper David Connolly and the right-hand post.
The visitors finally escaped their own half following a buccaneering run by Mark Finn; his superbly whipped cross headed behind by Conor Kenna. The respite was short-lived and it was fitting that Sullivan should provide the breakthrough.
He timed his run cleverly inside fullback Simon House and side-footed home Seán Finn's exquisitely delivered pass. Released from the shackles of their Alamo-like defence, Drumcondra pushed players forward chasing an equaliser and while they intermittently managed to pose one or two problems, UCD's dominance was not really checked.
Pat McWalter, playing up front alongside the lively Robbie Martin, increased UCD's advantage on 35 minutes, skipping past a number of players before clipping a daisy cutter under Connolly's despairing dive. The Drumcondra goalkeeper made a couple of decent saves from long-range efforts before UCD completed a highly gratifying half for the home supporters when a falling O'Donnell steered home from five yards.
Finding themselves 3-0 down at the interval, the second 45 minutes was always going to be about attitude and character from a Drumcondra perspective. Captain David Shanley, a muscular presence in midfield, led by deed, his strong run and powerful shot a fraction high.
UCD were a little slower to find their rhythm after the break but it was only a temporary respite for the visitors. The excellent quality of delivery from set-pieces by the home side had caused consternation in the Drumcondra defence on several occasions and it was from Sullivan's corner that UCD grabbed a fourth. The Students' captain Tony McDonnell thumping home from close range at the far post.
The visitors, though, continued to work hard and fullback Eoin Keogh's well-struck 20-yard drive was acrobatically tipped over by UCD goalkeeper Darren Quigley. UCD's fifth goal came from a move by the excellent SeáFinn, picking out the overlapping Rob McAuley and his cross was flicked home by Martin at the near post.
Drumcondra, for their part, never stopped trying and for that they deserved credit. Denied a consolation the visitors finished the game as they had begun it, hemmed inside their own half, staring down the blue hordes.
UCD: Quigley; Mahon, Kenna, McNally (Foley 72), McAuley; Sullivan (Kierans 75), McDonnell capt (Dicker 69), Finn, O'Donnell; McWalter, Martin.
DRUMCONDRA: Connolly; Keogh, K Finn, Donnelly, House; M Finn, Shanley (capt), Butler, Doyle (Larkin 41), Quinlan; O'Brien (Leonard 82).
Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).
