Home work vital for students to stay in top grade
FOR UCD manager Andy Meyler, it’s all about ‘staying in the arm wrestle’ for as long as possible, and then flexing the muscle for a final heave.
Meyler’s men, or should that be boys, stunned Dundalk with two late goals on Friday to move above Finn Harps at the foot of the table with a much-needed 3-2 win.
‘We have to win games, especially at home. We’re not going to draw our way out of trouble,’ said Meyler.
Trailing 1-0 at half time, Meyler revealed there were ‘words’ at the break, which led to a stirring fightback, capped by Tommy Lonergan’s dramatic late winner.
‘We were too passive in the first half. We spoke beforehand about where we might get goals against Dundalk and we came out and caught them on the counter-attack a few times.
‘Once we stay in the arm wrestle we have that bit of quality that might get you a goal,’ said Meyler.
UCD were everyone’s first choice to go down and their cause looked grim when Collie Whelan was sidelined by a serious knee injury in May, while another Under 21 international, Liam Kerrigan, left for Como in July.
‘Losing Collie and Liam took a lot of goals out of the team.
‘It’s taken a while but guys have come in and found their feet in the Premier Division. In the last couple of weeks, we’ve defended better and become harder to score against,’ added Meyler.
Of their final seven games, UCD are in Dublin for six of them, with one trip, to rivals Finn Harps in the penultimate weekend of the season.
There is also the Extra.ie FAI Cup to provide a welcome distraction. On Friday, the students are away to Treaty United as they seek to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2018.
The 3-2 defeat for
Dundalk was a massive setback to the Louth club’s European ambitions and shone the spotlight on a growing fissure of concern.
Dundalk were the benefits of a six-point turnaround in midweek after their 2-0 loss to Sligo Rovers became a 3-0 win when the FAI ruled that the Bit O’Red fielded an ineligible player.
The Lilies had the motive of joining Shamrock Rovers at the summit with victory but they lost the lead twice at The Bowl to blow it.
Worryingly, the last five games have seen Dundalk leak 10 goals, three to
Shamrock Rovers, two to Wexford, two to Sligo and now three to UCD.
Suddenly, the team that was built of tungsten appears to be as porous as mica. ‘It’s a narrative that has taken legs,’ acknowledged Lillies boss Stephen O’Donnell.
‘Am I standing here saying we looked totally watertight and secure? No, I’m not. It’s something we’ll have a look at and review.
‘Everyone is saying it’s this high line but we’ve played that way all season and we’ve 13 or 14 clean sheets.’
Dundalk have slipped to third behind Derry and are only two points above St Pat’s, who have a game in hand. The in-form Saints have won five on the bounce and are gunning for a Euro return.