The mood was sombre afterwards. While no one was openly admitting it, the Kilkenny Soccer Cats knew they had squandered one of their mythical nine lives when they escaped with a draw at Buckley Park. When you are struggling in the relegation zone and the team immediately above you comes-a-calling - a team you have already beaten - the reasonable expectation is that the gap between you and safety can be narrowed.
Kilkenny failed at the double on Saturday. Worse, this edgy and directionless effort made them look like Premier Division misfits. UCD deserved to win, and handsomely. The students weaved attractive and effective football patterns, ripping the heart out of the home defence. In contrast, Kilkenny could'nt string two passes together. They simply could not create. This point was highlighted by the fact that they had only one shot on target during the second half when backed by a strong wind.
The visitors, with Jason Sherlock operating as the mischievous front man, threatened as early as the second minute when his left wing cross was headed wide by Ciaran Kavanagh from close range.
Kilkenny went close to scoring in the eighth minute. Brendan Rea headed on a free kick and Aidan Cooney's 20-yard left-footed effort screamed over the crossbar.
There was, however, some joy for the home team in the 24th minute. Cooney's cross looked to have been gathered by goalkeeper Seamus Kelly, but the ball spilled from his hands and Alan O'Connor scrambled the ball over the line. After numerous chances UCD drew level in the 62nd minute. Again a clever through ball by Sherlock from the left wing put Eoin Bennis clear on the right in a one-on-one against the goalkeeper and he duly found the net. However, UCD couldn't get the winner their efforts deserved.
Kilkenny City: J Connolly, D Breen, R Walsh, T Hall, E Smith, A Cooney, C Maher, B Arrigan, A O'Connor, R Hale, B Rea. Subs: P Devereaux for Hall (injured) 46 mins; K Kelly for Hale 61 mins; R Foley for Breen 75 mins.
UCD: S Kelly, D Bolger, R McAuley, T Palmer, A McDonnell, A Lynch, C Kavanagh, E Bennis, J Sherlock, M O'Byrne, D Fitzgerald.
Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).
