A point on the board, a home goal... one would think Collie O’Neill would have allowed himself room for a smile after Friday’s 1-1 draw with St Patrick’s Athletic at the UCD Bowl. The Students even came from behind to earn the point against the unbe
A point on the board, a home goal... one would think Collie O’Neill would have allowed himself room for a smile after Friday’s 1-1 draw with St Patrick’s Athletic at the UCD Bowl.
The Students even came from behind to earn the point against the unbeaten Inchicore men. It’s a result that sees the Belfield side remain rooted to the bottom of the early Premier Division table.
But despite the progress being made, O’Neill says his side are capable of a lot more.
"To tell you the truth, no, I’m not happy at all," said the College manager to our reporter Peter Branigan.
"There’s a standard we play to, and the first forty-five minutes was nowhere near it’, he continued.
"I’m happy with the second-half, happy to get a point on the board, but just not satisfied with the first-half."
Pushed on where the team was lacking from the start, O’Neill was blunt.
"Our desire to win a game. At times we get too bogged down into team shape, and tactics, and a player dropping in here, and another going in there... you can rely too much on analysis and tactics.
"I think the minimum standard you should have when you show up is to want to win the game. We lacked it in the first-half, but we showed great desire and belief to bounce back in the second."
The crucial period in the match was in the run up to half-time. Thirty minutes in, Mikey Drennan had given Pats a lead that they arguably didn’t deserve.
From there though, they dominated the remaining quarter of an hour before the break. Crucially though, they didn’t score a second.
O’Neill admits that there were some harsh words spoken in his dressing room at half-time, but that team responded thereafter.
"It’s a wet, dirty night... not a night where you can play beautiful football. Sometimes you just have to roll up your sleeves, and do a bit of the dirty stuff.
"We’ve got better and better (since the season started), but I’ve been tired of saying, “good performance but we’ve nothing to show for it.” So it is nice to have a point on the board, but we just need to be a little bit more ruthless."
The Students came into the game having performed admirably at Oriel Park on Monday night. They had taken the lead at the home of the champions, but O’Neill suggested that his players had not shown the correct attitude on Friday.
"That’s what happens with younger players. They think that because they’ve done well in one game, it will just automatically happen in the next.
"It doesn’t; you have to show up every week, and do your work. Nothing in this division is ever going to be just handed to you on a plate."
And while away trips to Dundalk and Derry, and the visit of early pace sets Bohs and Pats might arguably be considered tricky opening fixtures, we’ll get a better sense of UCD in their next couple of games.
They welcome Finn Harps to Belfield in a couple of weeks, but before that, it’s a trip to Sligo on Saturday.
"At no stage this season have I said, “let’s just try to get a draw tonight.” Every game we play, we plan on how we can win it," says O’Neill.
"And we’ll be doing the same for Sligo."
