REPORT: UCD 2-0 Pike Rovers

UCD progressed to the second-round of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup on Friday night with a straight forward 2-0 win over Pike Rovers at Belfield on Friday night.

The Students dominated possession throughout, and the visitors were left to half chances on the break. In the end, goals from Timmy Molloy and Conor Davis, scoring on his debut start, proved to be the difference between the sides.

After a slight delay to kick-off, the Limerick and District League side made a bright start. They had a couple of corners, with Eoin Hanrahan having a chance. He didn’t make clean contact with the header, and the chance was lost.

As the half wore on, UCD began to assert their dominance. It was a UCD side showing three from their victory over Cabinteely last weekend. It included Conor Davis, who made his debut start for the club, after coming off the bench against Cabo.

Davis was involved in College’s opening goal. He was played through by Neil Farrugia, and worked some space for himself. He didn’t get clean contact on the ball, but it fell nicely for Timmy Molloy.

He was able to finish from close range, at the second time of asking. The remainder for the first-half saw College on top, but they were limited to shots from outside the box. Farrugia went close, with one such effort, in the thirty-eighth minute.

Greg Sloggett forced Gary Neville into a save early in the second-half. He hit a powerful strike from twenty-five yards after good build-up play by Farrugia, Dan Tobin, and Molloy. The Students looked comfortable in possession, but the game wasn’t safe until the last five minutes.

Davis latched onto a cleared corner. He went on a run, cut in from the left, and chipped Neville smartly to end Pike’s hope. Next up for UCD is Cobh in the First Division, with their second round Cup tie to come before the end of the month.