"One of the best" - UCD boss Collie O'Neill delighted with Waterford win

It's still only early in the season, but you get the sense that UCD are already at a crossroads. Their home form has been picking up since the start of March, culminating in Friday night's impressive 4-1 win over Waterford.

'It's probably one of the best since I've been here,' manager Collie O'Neill told our reporter Peter Branigan afterwards.

When a team has a purple patch like the one they're having, which also saw them get past Shelbourne in the EA Sports Cup on Tuesday, you have to capitalise. Seven points from their last three home games has lifted The Students off the bottom of the table, ahead of Finn Harps and Sligo, and to within striking distance of sixth place.

And O'Neill says there were signs of maturity in the victory over the men from the south-east at Belfield.

'It was when we were out of possession of the ball. There were people putting their bodies on the line. We had that bit between the teeth. There was that extra little bit of nastiness in us tonight. We weren't the usual "nice guy" Students, and it was pleasing to see.

'They tried to rattle us, they tried to fight with us, and we fought back. The first goal was always going to be vitally important, and it gave us a platform to go and build on.'

UCD went two clear inside twenty-five minutes, but Waterford finished the half strongly, and pulled one back through Scott Twine. They pushed hard after that, but Richie O'Farrell's headed goal just after the break killed their momentum.

'It did,' was O'Neill's response when it was put to him that the timing of the goal fatally wounded the visitors. 'The longer it would have gone on only being at 2-1, they would have grown into the game an awful lot more. It knocked them back a little bit, and allowed us to settle into the game.

'I think tonight is probably where the penny will drop, and players will realise that we do really, really belong on this stage. I'm hoping that will give them that extra little bit of confidence as we go into a busy period.

'We want teams to know that if they're coming here, they're in for a tough night. I'm looking foward to Derry now (who beat UCD 3-0 on the opening day) to see have we really improved.'

On a really positive night for UCD, the manager reserved special praise for his captain Gary O'Neill.

'He was really, really good tonight, one of the best I've seen him play. You could see that they were trying to get at him, but he kept a clear head and just got on with playing the football.'

The skipper scored a penalty, while he also played a big part in two of UCD's other goals. A first-half free-kick of his came back off the crossbar for Yoyo Mahdy to finish College's second goal, while he whipped in the corner for their third, O'Farrell's header.

'A Great night for me,' said the Kerry man afterwards. 'It's been a long time coming with the goal. I've had a few chances over the last few weeks, and I'm just delighted to see that one hit the net. I was going to try to claim that free-kick as well, but Yoyo got it! But I'm delighted with my part tonight, and for the lads as well. 

'Waterford are a good side, they're in Europe this year, so we knew what was ahead of us. But it's nice to be able to be able to put a bit of form together, even with the win against Shelbourne on Tuesday night... it's a bit of momentum.

'The atmosphere in the changing room after that game was one of the best I've had in five years of being here. It was a real sense of, "things are coming together now." We've Derry next. That was our worst performance so far this season up in the Brandywell, so we'd love to put that right next week.'

Going on their current form, UCD should believe that they can get something out of that game. With three of their next four games to come at Belfield, turning the Bowl into a fortress could see the Students put real distance between themselves and the bottom two, and have the two O'Neills looking ahead of themselves, rather than over their shoulders.