Brilliant Behan goal a killer blow for Longford Town in the defeat away to UCD

Goals from Jake Doyle and substitute Ciaran Behan, a brilliant strike, guided UCD to all three points against Longford Town at the UCD Bowl on Friday night. 

UCD . . .  2  Longford Town . . .  1

Substitute Daragh Murtagh grabbed a goal back for the Town in stoppage time but they couldn’t muster up another to snatch a draw in a dramatic finish. 

Longford Town are still eight points behind Treaty United in the final promotion play-off spot and there are only five games remaining in the First Division. 

This result saw UCD extend their unbeaten run over Longford Town to eight games. Town haven’t beaten the Students at the Bowl since the First Division play-off semi-finals in 2020.

In the opening exchanges of the game neither side created anything to trouble Dara Kavanagh or Kian Moore. In the fifth minute Adam Wells and Adam Brennan caused problems for the Town defence.

In the ninth minute Danny Norris’ effort went wide. The home side then took control of the game but for all their possession they didn’t test Kian Moore. 

UCD eventually broke the deadlock in the 26th minute through Doyle. Ronan Finn started the move, he played the ball out wide to Brennan who then fed Wells and his cross was finished to the net from inside the box by Doyle.

Declan Osagie hit a shot just wide while Killian Cailloce blasted the ball over the bar in the 40th minute.

Town started the second half brightly but it was UCD that created the first opportunity; Stephen Mohan should’ve done better with his effort. 

Emmanuel Oluwafemi was isolated up front and didn’t receive much assistance when Town were on the attack. Wayne Groves decided to make changes around the hour mark in his trademark three subs tactic and replaced Oluwafemi with Daragh Murtagh. He also brought on Dean George and Stefan Ugbesia. 

The Students doubled their advantage in the 68th minute; Éanna Clancy played the ball to substitute Behan, he found the time and the space to take a shot and he found the top corner of the net with a stunning strike.

Behan’s free-kick in the 74th minute found Clancy unmarked in the box but he hit the side netting with his effort. Murtagh tested Dara Kavanagh’s reflexes in the 84th minute with the UCD netminder stopping his shot. 

Muragh pulled a goal back for the Town in the first minute of stoppage time when he capitalised on Kavanagh being out of his goals. It was merely a consolation goal as Town fell to another defeat to the Students. 

UCD: Dara Kavanagh; Declan Osagie, Carl Lennox, Éanna Clancy, Adam Wells; Killian Cailloce, Ronan Finn, Jake Doyle, Stephen Mohan; Adam Brennan, Louis Dignam.

Subs used: Mikey McCullagh for Mohan inj (54 mins), Brian McManus for Finn and Ciaran Behan for Dignam (55 mins), Mikey Raggett for Brennan (78 mins). 

LONGFORD  TOWN: Kian Moore; Pharrell Manuel, Oisin Hand, Eric Yoro, Dean O’Shea; Sean Moore, Alex O’Brien; Emre Topcu, Aaron Doran, Danny Norris; Emmanuel Oluwafemi.

Subs used: Stefen Ugbesia for Topcu (60 mins), Daragh Murtagh for Oluwafemi and Dean George for Norris (61mins), Jamie Egan for O’Shea (78 mins). 

Referee: Ian O’Keeffe.