Having had to plunge into the season at too early a stage, UCD's learning curve at last reached a winning turn in the Leinster Senior League on Saturday as Glenanne, bewilderingly, were beaten 3-1 at St Mark's.
This was the most startling result of the year, as UCD had lost all 10 previous matches, including a 9-0 home trouncing by Glenanne. Now the tables were turned as the students captured their first Premiership points, and the jaded Tallaght side were shunted out of joint leadership of the league, leaving Pembroke Wanderers clearly back in front, followed by Corinthians.
Ironically, it was Pembroke and Corinthians who also experienced most discomfort in coping with the fast-breaking Belfield brigade. "Finally, it all clicked on Saturday," said team manager Gerry O'Gorman. "We now know we can do it - there's great satisfaction."
Yet the win was still achieved against the odds, with five regulars missing, including two defenders with broken hands. In stepped first-year debutants Donagh Gilhooly in goal and Peter Thompson at centre-back to deputise for Ken Miller and Simon Brown and, in an admirable team performance, Glenanne were confined to their lowest score of the campaign.
UCD caught the home side on the break in the opening minutes as Owen Butler sent Andrew Jones through to snatch the lead. After Gilhooly had kept out a penalty stroke from Stephen Butler, the students went two up through Graham O'Meara, and although Glenanne pressed hard in the second half for Butler to reduce the leeway from one of 15 short corners, UCD remained menacing on the counter-attack. They were rewarded with a third goal, chipped home by Paul Fitzroy following a thrust from the back by adventurous sweeper Marcus Miller.
Pembroke, meanwhile, registered five set-piece goals without reply from Railway Union at Serpentine Avenue, but Duncan McKeen and Devin Donnelly felt twinges which may rule them out of Wednesday's back match against Avoca at Rathdown.
Avoca continue to play defiantly, fighting back at Whitechurch Park to share the spoils (2-2) with Corinthians, for whom Colin Stewart twice delivered openings for Guy Banton to score alertly, only for Enda Gallanagh and Graham Dowling to poach equalisers. Both goalkeepers, Peter Darley and Stephen Kinsella, contributed much to preventing either side from gaining the upper hand.
The Leinster coach, John McInerney, will have an embarrassment of riches in naming the number two goalkeeper to Nigel Henderson for the interprovincials.
The Leinster under-21 goalkeeper, Glen Bailey, was also in the thick of the action on Saturday as Monkstown tried valiantly to curb Three Rock Rovers at Rathdown. But Rovers ended up with a seven-goal haul, including a hat-trick from Liam Canning, and two neat finishes by Gary Ringwood.
While Cliff Bailey and Justin Sherriff encouragingly made it 5-2 at one stage, Monkstown (and YMCA) will be concerned by Trinity's third win, 2-1 at the expense of YM at Ballinteer. Who knows what both universities can yet achieve after Christmas? It was a day of much celebration for UCD, as their second XI also caused an upset in beating Pembroke Wanderers II 3-2 in the first-round proper of the Irish Junior Cup, with Paddy Mitchell notching two of the goals.
There was also a surprise in Newry where the holders, Avoca II, with an understrength side, went under, 6-0, crumbling in the later stages of the game.
In a foretaste of the Senior Cup pairing next month, Cork C of I II edged out Harlequins II at Garryduff, with Neil Welch deciding the issue from a penalty corner.
It has been confirmed that Avoca will represent Dublin in the world inter-cities indoor tournament in Glasgow on January 9th10th, providing the Blackrock squad with valuable practice for the European Championship (C division) in Belgrade in February.
