0 v 3 
UCD AFCDetails
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 November 2021 | 7:45 pm | LOI Men's Promotion / Relegation Playoffs | 2021 |
Match Report
Ryan mistake aids UCD win
A Tadgh Ryan mistake gifted UCD an early advantage in the first leg of the First Division play-off semi-final, at Markets Field this evening. The Students came out 3-0 winners against Treaty United in a cagey match.
The opener came after Paul Doyle whipped a free-kick high into the Treaty box. Out came Ryan, whose attempted punch diverted the ball into the net he had just vacated.
Colm Whelan doubled the lead after 80 minutes with a cultured right-footed finish.
It was then put out of sight on the counter-attack, as Whelan added his second of the game to make it three.
The opening exchanges were what you would expect from a high-pressure game. Neither side wanted to make a mistake, and so (with some help from the uneven surface) play was disjointed and nervy.
While neither team wanted to make a mistake, one did come. It was Ryan who was the unfortunate party involved. A wide Doyle free-kick was heading towards a group of bodies away from the goal, up jumped the Treaty ‘keeper, and a wild deflection made this an evening he will want to forget.
This gave Andy Myler’s men a leg up heading into the second 45. It seemed that the Students were content to sit on their lead and see out the game, with no-nonsense defending preventing the Shannonsiders from creating any chances.
One did eventually come, as substitute Dean George missed a golden opportunity to put the hosts level. A miss that they would come to regret.
The first-division’s top scorer then burst into life. First, Whelan took a pass from Liam Kerrigan, opened up his body and caressed a finish inside the right post. Then he sealed an emphatic win by expertly taking down a Lorcan Healy long ball, sending two defenders tumbling over each other, and cooly slotting a left-footed shot into the net.
Three goals up, UCD will have a much easier task than United heading into the second leg. It’s fair to say that Tommy Barrett will need a miracle to overturn a considerable deficit away from home.
Timeline
| 3. Marc Ludden | 12' | |
| 26. Tadhg Ryan | 34' | |
| Mark Walsh Sean McSweeney | 64' | |
| Kieran Hanlon Dean George | 64' | |
| 3. Charlie Fleming | 69' | |
| 73' | Sean Brennan Adam Verdon | |
| Matt Keane William Armshaw | 78' | |
| Stephen Christopher Joel Coustrain | 78' | |
| 80' | 11. Colm Whelan | |
| 5. Clyde O'Connell | 84' | |
| 89' | Paul Doyle Mark Dignam | |
| 89' | Liam Kerrigan Evan Caffrey | |
| 90' | 11. Colm Whelan |
Past Meetings
|
(Round 25)
2 - 1LOI Men's First Division
UCD Bowl UCD AFC v Treaty United |
|
(Round 16)
2 - 1LOI Men's First Division
Jackman Park Treaty United v UCD AFC |
|
(Round 7)
3 - 2LOI Men's First Division
UCD Bowl UCD AFC v Treaty United |
Ground
| Markets Field |
|---|
| Markets Field, Limerick City, County Limerick, Munster, V94 AY9C, Ireland |
Jon Parkin
A master's journalism student at Birmingham City University. Jon Parkin has done interviews with numerous people from across the English football pyramid. He has also written for website My Old Man Said for over a year and a half.
Full-time: Treaty United 0-3 UCD
Goal UCD! Whelan makes it three on the counter-attack.
Four added minutes.
Paul Doyle and Liam Kerrigan leave the field for UCD.
Mark Dignam and Evan Caffrey enter the fray for the visitors.
O'Connell gets a yellow card.
Will Armshaw and Joel Coustrain are on for Treaty.
Kerrigan feeds Whelan, and the forward makes no mistake! 2-0 UCD.
Matt Keane and Stephen Christopher leave the field for the hosts.
Christopher works the ball into a good position and plays a wonderful ball towards Dean George. The substitute shoots just wide! What a chance.
Sean Brennan heads off the pitch.
Adam Verdon is on for the visitors.
Keane feeds McSweeney, who shoots. The shot lacks power and goes wide left.
Jack Keaney has a shot from the free-kick. It's saved unconvincingly by Ryan, but is eventually cleared.
Paul Doyle shoots wide just after Whelan is taken down.
Charlie Fleming picks up a yellow card after taking down Colm Whelan running in on goal.
Mark Walsh and Kieran Hanlon exit the pitch for the hosts.
Sean McSweeney and Dean George come on for Treaty.
Doyle is the danger man again, as some good play on the right results in a Doyle shot. Ryan gets down well to his left to save.
Ryan is all over the place from another Doyle free-kick. He charges out nervously and is lucky that O'Donnell heads over the bar.
Colm Whelan holds the ball up nicely, then gets it to Doyle. Doyle cuts onto his right-foot and shoots. It's an easy save for Ryan.
The Students seem content to let Treaty play, and hoof the ball clear whenever the opportunity arises.
These opening stages of the second-half have much the same feel as the first-half. Cagey, nervous and stuttering.
Paul Doyle fancies his chances from distance. He slices his effort well wide.
Early on the home side have pressure on the UCD goal with a corner, but the pressure is released by a Hanlon foul.
And the game is back underway!
Half-time: Treaty United 0-1 UCD
One added minute.
Ryan is made to sweat again as Eoin Farrell whips a cross towards the near post. It dips just over the bar, past the outstretched Ryan. A nervy moment.
Even though the home fans have quietened down, Treaty are pushing forward and keeping possession well. There doesn't appear to be much end product though.
UCD now have their tails up, their passing is sharper and they look energised by the goal.
Colm Whelan loops a shot over the bar after a good move from the visitors.
Goal UCD! Tadhg Ryan punches into his own net after Paul Doyle looped a free-kick into the box.
A counter-attack from the students results in Kerrigan playing Whelan through on goal. Unfortunately for the visitors, Whelan is offside.
Charlie Fleming looses the ball facing his own goal, but there's a clear push from a UCD player, and so any danger to the Home goal is stopped.
Jack Lynch whips a cross into the box after another good spell from the hosts. Lorcan Healy has an easy job to catch it.
Clyde O'Connell takes a swing at the ball after it comes out to the edge of the box from a long throw. His shot leaves the 'keeper stranded as it takes a deflection, but is just wide.
Both teams are still feeling each other out so far. There's a distinct feeling that neither team wants to be the side that makes the first mistake.
Liam Kerrigan nutmegs Marc Ludden, before whipping a cross into the box. There's no one there to meet it, but it's dangerous.
Marc Ludden picks up the first yellow card of the evening after a moment of indecision in defence.
Clyde O'Connell turns on the ball after a promising period of Treaty United play. His right-footed shot rises high over the bar.
Sam Todd blazes a shot just over the bar after Tadhg Ryan unconvincingly punches out a corner.
Colm Whelan bursts in behind the defence, a long pass finds him but is just too high. His touch goes out for a throw-in.
A Marc Ludden cross causes problems for the students, Stephen Christopher drills the ball across goal, but UCD scramble it away.
UCD get things started at the kick-off.
It's a momentous day for Treaty United fans, who couldn't have imagined a play-off being played at Markets Field when the team entered the league for the 2021 season. UCD will want to spoil the party though.
UCD team news: there are four changes to the Students side that started last time out. Jack Keaney, Liam Kerrigan, top scorer Colm Whelan and Harvey O'Brien come in in place of Evan Caffrey, Adam Verdon, Adam Lennon and Luke Boore.
Treaty United team news: Tommy Barrett makes three changes to the side that won in the last league game of the season. Anto O'Donnell, Marc Ludden and Matt Keane replace Joel Coustrain, Dean George and Alan Murphy.
Hello and welcome to Final Whistle's coverage of the First Division play-off semi-final first leg between Treaty United and UCD. I'm Jon Parkin, and I will be covering this evening's game.