Offside decisions infuriate students

The distraction may be unwanted but Roddy Collins and company will have to haul themselves out for a cup quarter-final at the start of next month. Goals from Stephen Caffrey, Glen Crowe and Ray Kelly were enough to see them past a battling UCD side at Belfield last night, although as far as the locals were concerned, the contribution of linesman Damien Hancock was just as decisive.

By the time the game ended Collins and his team were somewhat flattered by the 3-0 result. However, the complaints from UCD were not about the scoreline, but the fact that McDermott should have given offside for the first two goals.

It was a dreadful way for Martin Moran's side to make their exit from the competition. Over the course of the two games his players had held their own against a side who are pushing Shelbourne hard for championship honours.

A clearly disappointed Moran said after the game: "The second goal was blatantly offside but I still can't believe the first. The referee's assistant clearly signalled for an offside and my defenders completely stopped playing. As far as Barry (Ryan) was concerned it was just a bit of shooting practice and then the referee turns around and gives the goal."

Early on last night the chances were there for UCD to take up where they left off in Dalymount Park, but having produced the tie's first couple of shots on target, they never really managed to get a grip on things.

Neither goalkeeper had been kept too busy before the break but from the moment the second period kicked off it was clear that the second half was going to be a more lively affair.

Now, with a little more time on the ball to play with, the central midfields started to open the game up a little and the chances started to come for the strikers.

The Bohemians pairing, Glen Crowe and Ray Kelly, got the better of them with Paul Byrne doing much of the providing. But the finishing by both was poor and it took what UCD players felt was a decisive decision by the match officials to turn the game in their favour after 57 minutes.

With Gareth O'Connor unmarked, and looking certain to score from some six yards out, Hancock appeared to raise his flag for offside. Barry Ryan saved the midfielder's shot with his feet and then repeated the trick with Stephen Caffrey's follow up. Then, before Ray Kelly mishit his attempt and Caffrey turned it home, the linesman stopped flagging and the referee signalled a goal, prompting a furious reaction from the students.

In the build up to the second, finished neatly from close range by Caffrey after Byrne had done the tricky stuff, there was another less clear cut appeal ignored by Hancock.

This time the home side's protests were not nearly so heated but then this time the game was really up. Kelly finished it off two minutes into injury time but the Bohemians' fans had little doubt who had been the hero. "We love you linesman, we do," they sang as Moran's dejected players made for the centre circle once again.

Still it was Moran's side that had had the better opportunity to lead at the break. When Eoin Bennis got clear of his marker after just 12 minutes even Michael Dempsey must have expected to be picking the ball out of his net. However, the young striker, in for injured Peter Hanrahan, badly misjudged his attempt to tee up the shot and when he did attempt to slip the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper his contact lacked power allowing Eoin Mullen time to circle his team mate and clear the danger.

Had he scored, and Bohemians had been forced to chase the game, it might have turned out rather differently but they'll have plenty of time to ponder as they while away the weeks to the close of the season.

UCD: Ryan; McLaughlin, Lynch, Delaney, Mahon; Mooney, Kavanagh, Martyn, Martin; Bennis, O'Byrne. Subs: Kilmurray for Bennis (67 mins), Dunne for Martin (86 mins)

BOHEMIANS: Dempsey; Vaudequin, O'Driscoll, John, Mullen; Byrne, Caffrey, Hunt, G O'Connor; Crowe, Kelly. Subs: T O'Connor for Mullen (53 mins)

Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).