Longford Town sunk to a 14th league defeat of the season as UCD scored a comfortable victory in Bishopsgate.
Simple mistakes where the story of the game. Longford’s goal came from a goalkeeper mistake and UCD’s winner came from a keepers mistake.
While Longford battled to the end, there was limited evidence to suggest Longford won’t finish bottom of the league.
UCD go to their task quickly. Just three minutes in and Luke O’Regan curled an effort over the bar when he had more time.
Town responded well. Jordan Adeyemo’s edge of the box shot producing a solid save from Kian Moore. It would take nearly 30 minutes for Longford to get another effort.
Jake Doyle should have given UCD the lead six minutes. A simple long ball undoing Longford. Doyle firing wide.
Town were lucky not to go behind three minutes later. Eric Yoro clearing Ciaran Behan’s shot off the line. New Longford keeper Harry Halwax doing well to stop Doyle’s effort off the rebound.
UCD spurned another chance on the quarter-hour. This time it was Yoro who just gave the ball away. Doyle’s attempted chip was off target, UCD spurning another chance.
Longford take bizarre lead
Longford took the lead with one of the most bizarre goals on 34 minutes. Nothing was on, nothing was happening when Bastien Hery let fly.
The ball seemed to be going over the bar. Thats, what Kian Moore though as he didn't even raise his hands as the ball fell in under the bar!
1-0 to Longford through one of the most bizarre goals and totally the fault of keeper Moore.
However, the hope which has been lacking in Longford all season, evaporated six minutes later as UCD turned the screw. Substitute Adam Wells placing a free header past Halwax after Michael McCullagh pulled a cross back from the end-line.
Town edged the first quarter of the second-half. Daniel Norris heading just over on 54 minutes. Viktor Serdeniuk fired a shot just wide of the post six minutes later.
Then came the UCD lead. The right wing cross was missed by the fist of Halwax. Michael Raggett headed home just two minutes after entering the field.
Town sub Emmauel James gave Longford more options upfront and caused some concern 14 minutes from time.
Raggett should have made it three, 11 minutes from time but couldn’t connect with the cross.
Longford Town: Halwax, Elworthy, Yoro, O’Shea, O’Connor, Campbell, Serdeniuk, Hery (Wixted 87), Norris, Chambers (Fay 74), Adeyemo (James 74).
UCD: Moore, O’Regan, Clancy, Holohan, Donoghue (Wells 31), Behan (Finn 26), Higgins (Norval 60), Verdon (Brennan 60), McCullagh, Doyle, Bolton (Raggett 60).
Referee: Alan Patchell
