IT'S been a long time and maybe it was in the tea-leaves, but UCD finally showed a degree of their true colours at Belfleld Park yesterday. Whereas they were cool, composed and clinical, Cork were abrasive, argumentative and awful.
After conceding two goals in the opening nine minutes, Cork were obliged to chase the game - not their strongest suit - and whereas others such as Bohemians, St Patrick's and indeed Cork themselves, can be even more resilient in protecting a lead, UCD can be even more lethal on the break. 3-0 summed up UCD's best performance of the season, and Cork's worst - the verdicts of the respective managers as well.
It was, above all, a team effort from UCD. In every department they were Cork's masters. For starters, their concentration at the back was far better; Seamus Kelly's assured goalkeeping imbuing a sound defence, in which the tenacious Aidan Lynch stuck to a tetchy John Caulfield like glue and Tony McDonnell was an imposing presence.
In what midfield action there was, the diminutive pairing of Jason Colwell and Ciaran Kavanagh outpassed the anonymous Corkmen, including an out of touch Patsy Freyne.
Cork expended much of their energy arguing with the officials and generally losing their cool. It worked, if only to a point, but it shouldn't have. In addition to 10 corners, a far more abrasive Cork were risibly awarded twice as many frees, 20 to 10, for fouls while UCD had three players booked, Declan Fitzgerald, Eamonn McLoughlin and Andy Mykr, to one Corkman, Phil Harrington.
That was the biggest howl of the afternoon. With the game pretty much up after 71 minutes at 2-0, Phil Harrington rugby-tackled Andy Myler to the ground in an off-the-ball incident. For reasons best known to himself, Gerry Perry booked both players and awarded a free out rather than the most blatant penalty seen since referees wore black.
Through it all, UCD kept their heads as impressively as they kept their shape.
Breaking after four minutes, Kavanagh bypassed Dave Hill with an early ball to O'Brien controlling the ball on his chest with a good first touch, cleverly running across the backpedalling Hill with his second, before beating Harrington with his third.
Five minutes later McLoughlin's diagonal centre was missed by both Hill and Derek Coughlan, Sherlock bringing the ball down, taking aim and delivering a precise low angled drive past Harrington.
Sherlock and Kavanagh threatened to extend the lead before Cork mustered their first shot after 26 minutes. Excellent defending by Eamonn McLoughlin twice denied Damien O'Connell in a goal-mouth scramble, and Kelly touched over a drive by Ollie Cahill.
Eight minutes from time, Hill dummied over a Freyne pass but O'Connell didn't read it, McDonnell picking out Myler first time for the substitute to run on and calmly lure Harrington before beating him with some elan.
All the goals, like all the joy, came from one team.
