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Following on from last week’s terrific second half comeback in Tallaght, Russell decided to go with three at the back and play two wing backs with Mark Langtry and Daniel Ledwith providing attacking potential. However all tactics went out the window straight from referee Alan Kelly’s first whistle as Hugh Douglas was dispossessed by former Student Paddy Kavanagh who put the ball on a plate for Philip Gorman to slot home from a couple of yards out. The goal was clocked at an incredible sixteen seconds, a blow in which the home side never seemed to recover from.

One feature of the Students’ game is the ability to keep going and fight back from the dead, which was emphasised with the 2-2 d

 raw against
Shamrock Rovers last week and Paul O’Conor nearly equalised just minutes after the opening goal. He found acres of space in the visitor’s box but couldn’t beat Shels ‘keeper Dean Delany.

The game took another dramatic swing on 13 minutes as Alan Mathew’s side were reduced to ten men. Sean Byrne lost possession on the left flank and in an attempt to regain the ball he lunged in on Mark Langtry directly on front of the fourth official. Alan Kelly is one of the league’s best whistle blowers and he had no hesitation in reaching into his back pocket to send Byrne for an early shower.

Despite having a man advantage, UCD couldn’t find any fluency in attack which they have showed in recent games. Samir Belhout, on his return to the starting line-up along with Chris Lyons worked tirelessly up front but weren’t given the service to trouble the visitors’ back four. It was the ten men who nearly doubled their lead as Barry Clancy’s in swinging free kick was headed back across goal before Gorman slotted home but the assistant referee adjudged the ball to have crossed the end line.

It was a first half with little goal mouth opportunities as UCD failed to trouble Delany and the Shels back four. Set pieces seemed to be the best bet for the home side in the first period but several corners and free kicks were comfortably defended.

Arina Radionova, the Russian tennis player was at the Bowl but her half time cameo with mascot Collee couldn’t inspire the Students as the second period went along a similar pattern to the first. Inevitably with a numerical advantage, the home side dominated large spells of possession but failed to create any chances of note. Cillian Morrison was introduced for Samir Belhout at the break while James Kavanagh, brother of Paddy came on for Hugh Douglas. The substitutions didn’t make too much of an impact as UCD were largely restricted to long range efforts.

Last year’s FAI Cup finalists nearly doubled their lead ten minutes into the second half as Mark McGinley in the UCD goal, a spectator for much of the game, miscued his clearance but Paddy Kavanagh couldn’t convert with the goal at his mercy. As the half wore on, Mathews’ side began to sit deeper and deeper and the Students for the first time looked like they might breakthrough but once again Shels defended resolutely. Mark Langtry jinked his way into a shooting position from the right but his fierce goal bound effort was blocked by Andy Boyle. Moments later Dean Delany was tested but Paul Corry’s stinging shot was straight at the Shels shot stopper.