UCD AFC welcome League Champions Shamrock Rovers to The Bowl on Friday with a 7.45 kick off
UCD AFC welcome league champions Shamrock Rovers to the UCD Bowl tomorrow night (Friday Aug 3rd) with a 7.45pm KO.
The last time The Hoops were in action in Belfield, they clinched the league title with a late Dean Kelly goal.
UCD go into the game on the back of meeting two of the top four teams in our last two games. A 1-1 with St. Pats followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat to second placed Drogheda Untied last Friday night.
The Students currently sit bottom of the Airtricity League Premier Division table with 11 points from 18 games so far and lie three points behind 10th placed Dundalk.
UCD Last 5 results: 
June 22nd UCD 1 – 1 Dundalk
July 6th UCD 0 – 1 Derry City
July 15th Bohs 1 – 0 UCD
July 22nd UCD 1 – 1 St Pats
July 27th Drogheda 1 – 0 UCD
UCD are missing the injured goalkeeper John Kelly, top scorer Graham Rusk, midfielder Chris Mulhall and striker Cillian Morrison while centre back David O’Connor and striker Samir Belhour are both suspended due to picking up four yellow cards.
Goalkeeper Ger Barron is making good progress from his toe injury and should be available for selection.
Some quotes from manager Martin Russell:
“We weren’t able to gain the points our play deserved at Hunky Dorys Park, but if we maintain the attributes that we displayed there and also on our last home tie with St Pats, we will prove ourselves worthy opponents to our visitors this evening”
“Tomorrow’s fixture represents a real challenge for this fledgling squad, but that is the way it was always designed to be.”
“It’s a game against the champions which we are looking forward to and gives our young players a chance and a platform to perform which they will be relishing.”
“There should be a good crowd in the bowl, the pitch is in great condition and we are looking forward to what should be an entertaining game.”
Aaron Greene remains out of the Rovers squad and Graham Gartland is also out with a back injury. Stephen O’Donnell has been ruled out with a hamstring problem, while Ken Oman will do a fitness test before the game.
Commenting on the game, Hoops boss, Stephen Kenny said: “The team have kept three clean sheets in four games and that’s the kind of stability we need from the back four. We can take confidence from the win and clean sheet in Derry last week into Friday night’s game in Belfield.
“But one win in isolation is nothing; we need to back that up with another win against UCD. We need to repeat the strong performance we put in against Derry and have the belief that we can go and get a win away from home.”
Tickets for the game will be available at the ground right up to kick off.
Referee: Neil Doyle
