Rovers too strong for UCD and stay five points clear

Shamrock Rovers 4 UCD 1:BILLY DENNEHY scored one and made two other goals to help keep Shamrock Rovers five points clear at the top of the table as UCD finished with 10 men.

The Students’ admirable willingness to pass the ball perhaps contributed to their gifting Rovers the lead on five minutes.

College playmaker Greg Bolger, showing a little rustiness on his return from a three-match ban, was badly caught in possession by Stephen Bradley who curled a delightful shot to the net from the edge of the area for his first goal of the season.

UCD almost levelled three minutes later as Keith Ward set-up Paul O’Conor to bring a tip-over save from Alan Mannus from all of 30 yards. But UCD equalised on 26 minute when the Rovers captain Dan Murray allowed Ciaran Kilduff to harry him off the ball, get the loose ball back from Ward, and then rifle his shot to the net with the help of a deflection.

The game remained lively and Rovers should have been back in front on 34 minutes, but Thomas Stewart, played in by Stephen Rice, ballooned over the top.

Rovers were undoubtedly the better side and regained the lead two minutes before the interval, however fortuitously.

Bradley put Dennehy away down the left and his deep cross was meant for Twigg at the far post as it dipped over Barron and into the net.

Another twist helped shift the game further Rovers’ way five minutes into the second half when College right-back Brian Shortall was shown a red card for a late, rash challenge on Dennehy.

Kilduff remained a big threat for UCD, however, and his cross on the hour deflected off Price and bounced onto the Hoops’ bar with Mannus having to touch it out for a corner.

Dennehy then sent over a sublime cross from the touchline for Twigg to head home Rovers’ third goal on 62 minutes.

Dennehy should have made it 4-1 on 71 minutes, but drilled inches wide of a post. But he did have a say in Rovers’ fourth goal on 77 minutes when Murray met his corner to head home.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Chambers, Murray, Price, Stevens; Kavanagh (Fenn, h/t), Rice, Bradley (Bayly, 78 mins.), Dennehy; Twigg, Stewart (Flynn, 65 mins.).

UCD: Barron; Shortall, E McMillan (Leahy, h/t), Boyle, O'Connor; Mulhall, O'Conor, Bolger, Ward, Moore (Creevy, 52 mins.); Kilduff.

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).