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College Tribune | September 16 2008
Sport News
Doom and gloom Eoghan Brophy brings you up to speed on the League of Ireland, with UCD desperate to dodge the drop The Eircom League has gotten the publicity they so desperately crave. Unfortunately most of it has not been of the favourable variety. Drogheda and St. Pats adventures in Europe have been the major highlights of the season but it is the financial woes that have garnered most of the column inches in the papers. Amidst all the overspending on wages and investors withdrawing money, perhaps the best run club in the country looks set for relegation. Of course, I’m talking of UCD. UCD never look to be burdened with threats of extinction due to huge debts but they also will never get the funds they need to progress. This has been proven during the season by UCD’s action on the transfer market. Tony McDonnell’s retirement coincided with the departure of Conor Sammon, Conan Byrne and Darren Quigley whose absence has hurt the students badly. And the reality has been stated many times before, but UCD just can’t compete on the wages front. Usually the sublime quality of the U21’s and U20’s has come through for them to take the
place of these influential players, but that hasn’t materialised this season. Timmy Purcell is not as prolific in front of goal as ‘the Sammon of College’, and a lack of strike men has left UCD struggling. With only seventeen goals going in this season pressure has been mounting at the back. When UCD concede a goal nowadays it is hard to see them getting a win from the game. One position where UCD have covered for is between the sticks, and Matt Gregg has been nothing short of immense in goal. Gregg has kept UCD in games and salvaged draws with a series of magnificent saves. He has even tried to help with their goal-scoring problem, converting a last minute equaliser against fellow relegation struggler’s Cobh Ramblers at the Belfield Bowl. But it was their recent loss to Finn Harps which has been typical of UCD’s season and has nearly certified them of relegation. Stephen Parkhouse and Conor Gethins are capable of bagging goals for the Donegal men while they are also able to attract better players on loan with
the likes of Dave Tyrell already proving his worth with his 30-yard wonderstrike against the Students. The game petered on for the rest of the 90 minutes, with UCD creating chances but were unable to convert. Matt Gregg once again kept them in the game with some outstanding saves to match Parkhouse’s strikes. However it was a defensive mistake which cost UCD, as substitute Greg Bolger’s slip allowed Chris Breen in to score the second for Harps. Harps are now 4 points ahead of the students, and with only 8 games to go it is beginning to look ominous. It does look like the league will have much the same outlook at the end of the season with UCD, Galway and Cobh likely to be relegated. Bohemians have got both hands on the trophy and are just waiting for the mathematical issues to be sorted out before they
can be given the cue to lift the title. They have conceded only eight goals this season, eight goals less then the next best defence– Derry City. And you can’t say they have been boring having notched up 40 goals along the way, more than any other team in the league. They have the best team and arguably the best manager in the league so no one can deny them the league title, it is just a pity that Kevin Hunt has retired too early to lift it one more time for the Gypsies. Cork’s ten point deduction and Drogheda’s inconsistent form will probably see them just miss out on the other two European spots. Pat’s have played some exciting football this season with Keith Fahy a major instigator in what they have achieved. Hertha Berlin are on the cards for Pats in the first round proper of the UEFA
Cup. It’s probably the tie they would have wanted least. They are not a big enough name to draw the masses that watched Shelbourne play Deportivo in 2004, but they are probably too much for Pats to beat and get through to the group stages. Sligo, Bray and Shamrock Rovers have had a quiet season on the pitch and for Shamrock Rovers a quiet season is as welcome as the move to Tallaght in the next few months. The move will be a huge boost for the Hoops who will be back in a place they can call home after more than 20 years in exile. The league seems like it is over with not much left to fight for, but there is still three cups to be determined and there should be plenty of excitement there, as the likes of the Wexford Youths Celtic have proven.
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