UCD 0-0 Sligo Rovers

By Shane Murray

Sligo Rovers are still searching for their first eircom League Premier Division win of the season after being held to a scoreless draw by UCD at the UCD Bowl.

Played in cold, wet and windy conditions at the Belfield venue, the visitors enjoyed the better of possession but failed to create any real clearcut openings.

Rovers substitute Alan Moore went closest for Paul Cook's men with an excellent chip from the edge of the box which Matt Gregg tipped over, while UCD failed to test Sligo 'keeper Richard Brush in a game which lacked quality in the crucial final third.

Fresh from their 6-1 victory over Kildrum Tigers in the eircom League Cup on Monday, Rovers were without suspended captain Gavin Peers and the injured Chris Butler (foot).

Pete Mahon's UCD were without in-form striker Paul Byrne, also through suspension, while Derek Doyle and Ian Bermingham were ruled out through injury.

The first chance of any significance fell to the hosts on 13 minutes when Brian King's cross from the right was headed wide by Alan McNally from the penalty spot. 

The Students almost opened the scoring two minutes later when Darren Forsyth evaded a lunging tackle from Mauro Almeida on the halfway line, before racing clear down the right wing and crossing for the inrushing Pat McWalter. However, McWalter's right foot drive from 12 yards was well saved by Rovers' goalkeeper Richard Brush.

Matthew Judge then tried his luck at the other end with a speculative shot from outside the box that UCD 'keeper Matt Gregg gathered comfortably.

An already miserable March evening got even worse midway through the half as the predicted rain arrived, and with wind at UCD's backs also increasing in strength, Brush almost failed to clear his 18 yard box with a goal kick, such was the ferocity of the conditions at the Bowl.

Brush cleared a dangerous free-kick from UCD right-back Alan Mahon on the half hour, and reacted quickly to gather again from another testing cross from the left by Killian Gallagher.

The industrious Conor O'Grady was revelling in the midfield battle, regularly breaking up play and using possession well to instigate several Sligo attacks.

The lively Rovers front two of Judge and Bosnian Fahrudin Kudozovic were enjoying more of the ball than their UCD counterparts Forsyth and Timmy Purcell, and although their work-rate was good, the end product was sadly lacking.

A quick free from the alert Kudozovic released Coleman inside the box but Gregg collected comfortably at his left post.

In the 38th minute, Sligo's Anthony Murphy found space down the right from a Rafael Cretaro pass, cut back inside but Gregg cleared his shot with his feet.

The visitors were dominating play as the half reached its conclusion, with Kudozovic racing clear down the left and drilling a cross to the right edge of the box, where Ramauld Boco's stinging shot was blocked and cleared.

The first incident of note in the second half saw Coleman receive a yellow card for a late sliding tackle on Gallagher on the halfway line in the 50th minute,

A marauding run by Coleman, a member of the Republic of Ireland U-21 squad for the 1-1 draw with Montenegro on Tuesday, saw the Donegal defender burst into the box, but his cutback from the endline was turned behind for a corner.

Cretaro curled an ambitious shot narrowly wide of Gregg's left upright minutes later as Paul Cook's men continued to press for the opener.

However, UCD almost took the lead against the run of play when Purcell headed back across goal and Conor Kenna missed his shot before McNally's powerful effort hit a Sligo defender and Kenna shot over from the rebound.

In the 67th minute, left-back Danny Ventre forced his way into the UCD box and went down rather easily, but referee Declan Hanney correctly ignored Sligo's half-hearted claims for a penalty.

O'Grady followed Coleman into the referee's book when he was penalised for a similarly mis-timed challenge on Purcell on the centre spot.

McNally then drove a shot narrowly over before Benin international Boco almost pierced the UCD rearguard but the alert Gregg raced from his line to gather at the Rovers midfielder's feet.

Alan Moore, one of three second half substitutes introduced by Rovers boss Cook, almost broke the deadlock in dramatic style ten minutes from time with a superbly executed chip from 20 yards which had Gregg back-peddling to touch over the bar.

UCD midfielder Ronan Finn then combined with Purcell but he blazed his shot high over Brush's goal.

At the other end, Moore's prompting was giving UCD some headaches and fellow substitute Brian Cash should have done better with an attempted pull back after getting to the endline.

However, there was little joy to be had for either supporters as the clock ticked down, and the draw sees UCD move to sixth in the table on four points, while Sligo are up to fourth from bottom on two points.

UCD: 1 Matt Gregg, 2 Alan Mahon, 3 Killian Gallagher, 4 Conor Kenna, 5 Brian Shortall, 6 Alan McNally, 7 Brian King, 8 Ronan Finn, 9 Darren Forsyth (12 Shane Fitzgerald 61 mins), 10 Timmy Purcell, 11 Pat McWalter. Substitutes not used: 13 Pat Mullins, 14 John Reilly, 15 Greg Bolger.

Sligo Rovers: 1 Richard Brush, 2 Seamus Coleman, 3 Danny Ventre, 4 Jamie McKenzie, 5 Mauro Almeida, 6 Conor O'Grady, 7 Anthony Murphy (15 Alan Moore 74 mins), 8 Ramauld Boco, 9 Matthew Judge, 10 Fahrudin Kudozovic (12 Brian Cash 64 mins), 11 Rafael Cretaro (13 Sean Doherty 61 mins). Substitutes not used: 14 Steve Feeney, 16 Patrick Jennings.

Referee: Declan Hanney.