St. Patrick's Athletic U19s 1-3 UCD AFC U19s
UCD U19s made it four wins from their first five league games in the U19 Elite Division thanks to goals from Adam Zayed, Darren O’Donoghue and Robbie Slater.
On the wind-swept pitch at ALSAA on Sunday, the home side St. Pats made the better start to the game, but their passing and possession was mainly in their own half and they failed to create any real chances.
After some good Pats play it was UCD who took the lead thanks to a brilliant individual goal from midfielder Adam Zayed. He beat a number of the players inside the Pats’ box before calmly slotting past the advancing goalkeeper Nathan Murphy into the net from eight yards out.
UCD should have gone into half time at least another goal ahead but striker Dean Hurley missed a couple of decent chances.
The nippy centre forward did brilliantly to create the first chance for himself, jinking past a couple of defenders but when confronted with the keeper he decided to take an extra touch to go around Murphy instead of shooting and the keeper, who was on trial with UCD at the start of the season, did well to save with his legs.
Hurley was then put through but from the corner of the box his lop was just not high enough to beat Murphy. At half time UCD led 1-0.
The Boys in Blue, or black as they wore on Sunday, were a lot more in control in the second half but it was Pats who equalised with fifteen minutes remaining. Some sloppy UCD defending left the Pats striker Sam Verdon with space in the box, and he finished passed Niall Corbet to make it 1-1.
It didn’t take UCD long to regain the lead, just two minutes after Pats scored to make it 1-1 UCD got their second goal. Darren O’Donoghue finishing well into the corner after a great pass from Matt Collins.
A minute later UCD sealed victory thanks to a great strike from substitute Robbie Slater after a good pass from Ayman Ben Mohamed.
UCD ‘keeper Niall Corbet had to be alert to save a Pats’ shot a minute later to avoid a nervy last few minutes for his team.
That’s 12 points from 15 available at the start of the season for UCD, they sit just a point of first placed Shamrock Rovers.
Next for UCD is home game against 3rd placed Cobh Ramblers at the UCD Bowl next Sunday, Sep 23rd before they host Waterford United again at home the following weekend.
UCD team – Niall Corbet, Liam Traynor, Sean Coyne, Kilian Cantwell, Steven Byrne, Ryan Malone (Adam Whelan, 50), Ayman Ben Mohamed, Colm Crowe, Adam Zayed (Robbie Slater, 60), Darren O’Donoghue, Dean Hurley (Matt Collins, 75).
Referee - Adriano Vilar
