Another wobble as Bit O’Red are almost stung by struggling UCD
Max Mata rescues Bit O’Red with second-half equaliser
SSE Airtricity League Premier Division Sligo Rovers 2 UCD 2
FROM a position where Sligo Rovers seemed to have the wherewithal to beat Shelbourne, Bohemians and UCD, they came so close to losing all three fixtures.
After back-to-back home defeats to Shels and Bohs, both by 1-0 scorelines, it was striker Max Mata who prevented Rovers from falling to a third successive reversal at The Showgrounds, this time against bottom of the table UCD.
With top scorer and Player of the Month award recipient Aidan Keena again absent, it was left to New Zealander Mata to rescue a point for the Bit O’Red, who, having been 1-0 up at half-time through Mata’s first Rovers goal, later surrendered the initiative to a hungry UCD.
Quality goals from Colm Whelan and Evan Caffrey, with Tubbercurry’s Liam Kerrigan providing a nice assist for Whelan’s thunderbolt, had UCD on course for their first competitive win of 2022. It was Max Mata, though, who had the final say as Rovers ended a sequence of three home games with only a point to show from a possible nine. In truth, although they weren’t overwhelmed in these three games, two of which were narrow defeats, Rovers didn’t sufficiently excel to win even one of them. They started reasonably well against UCD. Greg Bolger was in midfield alongside Adam McDonnell, with Jordan Hamilton in the number 10 role and part of an attacking quartet spearheaded by Max Mata.
Those of a Rovers hue among the attendance of 1,865 were almost cheering in the 10th minute but Jordan Hamilton’s fine strike was dealt with by UCD goalkeeper Lorcan Healy. There was glimpses of Tubbercurry native Liam Kerrigan’s prowess for UCD, who boasted another ex-Rovers player, Jack Keaney, but it was Rovers who drew first blood.
Unconvincing UCD defending following Karl O’Sullivan’s 22nd minute corner led to Max Mata nodding in from close-range.
The next big opportunity for Rovers was Adam McDonnell’s blocked shot after 31 minutes.
In between the goal and that opportunity for McDonnell, there were several enticing crosses from wingers Will Fitzgerald and Karl O’Sullivan, while Jordan Hamilton was busy.
UCD, knowing they ought to have been further behind, woke up in the last five minutes of the first-half. Exciting talent Dylan Duffy skied a shot but then got his trajectory spot on when forcing Rovers netminder Ed McGinty to get involved.
Jordan Hamilton’s shot from distance and a Karl O’Sullivan attempt, which was wide, preceded UCD’s equaliser.
Liam Kerrigan’s pass was intelligent and Colm Whelan’s shot was a beauty. 1-1 after 57 minutes.
If UCD’s first goal was unstoppable – from a player who scored 19 times in last season’s SSE Airtricity League First Division – then their second goal was preventable.
A rare mistake from Garry Buckley, normally unflappable, gifted