REPORT: UCD 3-0 Athlone Town

UCD got back to winning ways with a 3-0 win over Athlone at Belfield on Friday night.

The League leaders came into the game having won just one of their previous three league games, but they were always on top against the Division’s bottom club. Although UCD had more of the possession in the first-half, Athlone created chances on the break.

Ollie Hamzat showed tenacity in the 16th minute to beat a couple of players on the edge of the box, but he smashed his effort over the bar. He turned provider a coupe of minutes later, setting up Brian Cabraley, but he pushed his shot well wide to the right.

UCD had their chances before they took the lead. Kelly controlled a long ball forward just after Hamzat’s chance, but he similarly couldn’t keep his effort down. Kelly forced Darcy Lawless into a save just after the half hour mark, after getting on the end of Gary O’Neill’s cross.

But the Athlone keeper held the headed effort. The goal finally came just before the break. O’Neill had a shot blocked, before Jason McClelland smashed it off the underside of the crossbar. Kelly reacted quickest, and made sure of it, passing the ball into the right corner.

UCD continued to be the better side, but there were far fewer chances after the break. They were forced to change goalkeepers after Cabraley, who was booked for his troubles, clattered into Conor Kearns, who initially continued, but was eventually replaced by Carl Williams.

At the other end, Darcy Lawless kept his side in the game with a top drawer save. Daire O’Connor had time to pull the trigger from inside the Athlone box, but Lawless kept it out, going into the net himself in the process.

But College weren’t to be denied, and they scored two late goals. Both involved O’Connor. He set up McClelland, who finished smartly, in a break away move. And then a couple of minutes later, he did it all himself, with a great shot from just outside the box.