Dundalk FC record a comprehensive 5-1 win over relegated UCD

UCD 1-5 Dundalk

Dundalk FC kept their end of the bargain on the final night of the SSE Airtricity League season, recording a comprehensive 5-1 win over relegated UCD in Belfield tonight.

Michael Gallagher gave The Students a shock lead early on - but goals from Paul Doyle, Daryl Horgan, Daniel Kelly and a brace from captain Patrick Hoban sealed a 5-1 win.

That would have been enough for Dundalk to secure a fourth-place finish and possible place in Europe next season had Shelbourne been held to a draw at Drogheda United, but unfortunately for The Lilywhites, the Dubliners emerged 4-2 victors at Weavers Park.

Dundalk’s task looked to have been made all the more impossible after just seven minutes of action, when bottom-of-the-table UCD took a shock lead in Belfield.

Ciaran Behan took the ball an awfully long way before passing to Jesse Dempsey - and his low cross was helped on by Mikey Raggett before being finished at the back post by the inrushing Gallagher to make it 1-0, putting Dundalk’s European hopes in jeopardy.

The Students almost doubled their advantage, when Jack Keaney lifted a free-kick attempt just over the crossbar, but it was all The Lilywhites following that effort.

Horgan’s turn and shot inside the box was just off target, in what was Dundalk’s first opportunity on 26 minutes, while Cameron Elliott’s effort hit the roofing of the net.

Hayden Muller launched a thunderbolt of an attempt from outside the area which crashed off the woodwork, with Elliott being brilliantly denied by UCD goalkeeper Lorcan Healy on the rebound - but the flag had been raised for an offside in any case.

Archie Davies burst through on goal, though his low drive was straight at Healy - but Stephen O’Donnell’s team did find their equaliser not long after that on 33 minutes.

A cross from Connor Malley on the right was only half-cleared by the UCD backline, with ex-Student Doyle then firing through a body of players plus Healy to level matters.

With news of Drogheda taking the lead against Shels filtering through, Dundalk had another good opportunity, with Horgan’s cross being headed just off target by Elliott.

Upon news of a second Drogheda goal at Weavers Park, the visiting support issued a rallying cry in an attempt to lift their team, who almost took a lead coming into half-time after record-breaking skipper Hoban planted a header off target from Horgan’s corner.

The Lilywhites had two more openings in first-half stoppage-time, with Malley’s shot being deflected wide, before Healy saved from a Muller header from Horgan’s corner.

Shels pulled a goal back against 10-man Drogs early in the second half to dampen the mood somewhat, as Davies evaded the challenge of a couple of UCD adversaries before firing off target, but Damien Duff’s Shels raced into a 3-2 lead just after the hour-mark.

Nobody informed Horgan, however, who put Dundalk into a 2-1 lead on 64 minutes, finishing brilliantly past Healy from close range following a lovely lay-off from Hoban.

Substitute Kelly made it 3-1 on 68 minutes, rounding Healy to finish after getting on the end of a Malley through ball - and it was 4-1 to Dundalk just two minutes later, as Hoban headed home from a delightful Davies cross to bag his 149th goal for The Lilywhites.

John Martin saw his header come off the bar, while fellow sub Keith Ward had a shot go straight at Healy, but it was Hoban who wrote the final headline of Dundalk’s season on 86 minutes - scoring a 150th and possibly final goal of a stellar career for The Lilywhites.

UCD: Lorcan Healy; Michael Gallagher (Luke O’Regan HT), Eanna Clancy, Jack Keaney, Evan Osam, Jesse Dempsey (Daniel Norris HT); Adam Verdon (Brendan Barr 65), Adam Wells, Sean Brennan (Donal Higgins 78); Ciaran Behan; Mikey Raggett (Danu Kinsella-Bishop 65)

Subs not used: Kian Moore (gk), Daniel Babb, Harvey O’Brien, Jake Doyle

Dundalk FC: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Greg Sloggett, Andy Boyle, Hayden Muller (Sam Durrant 76); Ryan O’Kane (Daniel Kelly 54), Connor Malley, Paul Doyle (Robbie Benson 65), Daryl Horgan (Keith Ward 76); Cameron Elliott (John Martin 76), Patrick Hoban

Subs not used: Peter Cherrie (gk), Darragh Leahy, John Mountney, Anthony Mayo

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork)