3pm Sunday 22 July
League of Ireland, Premier Division
University College Dublin 1 St Patrick's Athletic 1 (att 507)
Admission 15 eu, programme 3eu
There's a pleasing (but admittedly sad) symmetry in completing a league at the same club as starting it. Back in 1993, on my first ever visit to the Republic of Ireland, I saw UCD at home to St James's Gate. The game was an awful goalless draw, and still ranks as one of the worst games I've ever seen.
A few years ago UCD moved from the basic Belfield Park to the rather better equipped UCD Bowl, some distance away but still within the confines of the huge UCD Belfield campus. In fact, so huge is it that having driven in and parked the car, it then took a 15 minute walk, aided by the directions of a couple of locals, before I could find the new venue.
There is a nearer car park, but I guess you have to be in the know to head to straight to that, and once on the campus there's very little in the way of signage to direct first time visitors to the home of what is, let's not forget, a top flight side.
Once I found the Bowl I was impressed. Most of the spectator facilities are on the nearside, with seats built into a steep grass bank, the centre section covered. There's open standing at both ends, while the opposite side is out of bounds, housing a TV gantry and the dugouts. The whole set up is very neat and tidy, and the club officials were all very friendly.
The ground was a step up in quality from my previous visit, and thankfully so was the game. In my experience League of Ireland football, particularly in the top division, is all too often dour and defensive, but this was a lively and entertaining game.
UCD are bottom of the league (thanks to Managhan United's withdrawal) but matched their title-chasing opponents. St Pats went ahead on the stroke of half time. They looked likely to hold on for a win, but, perhaps feeling the effects of a midweek Europa League game in the Balkans, allowed UCD to snatch an equaliser they probably deserved.
League of Ireland, Premier Division
University College Dublin 1 St Patrick's Athletic 1 (att 507)
Admission 15 eu, programme 3eu
There's a pleasing (but admittedly sad) symmetry in completing a league at the same club as starting it. Back in 1993, on my first ever visit to the Republic of Ireland, I saw UCD at home to St James's Gate. The game was an awful goalless draw, and still ranks as one of the worst games I've ever seen.
A few years ago UCD moved from the basic Belfield Park to the rather better equipped UCD Bowl, some distance away but still within the confines of the huge UCD Belfield campus. In fact, so huge is it that having driven in and parked the car, it then took a 15 minute walk, aided by the directions of a couple of locals, before I could find the new venue.
There is a nearer car park, but I guess you have to be in the know to head to straight to that, and once on the campus there's very little in the way of signage to direct first time visitors to the home of what is, let's not forget, a top flight side.
Once I found the Bowl I was impressed. Most of the spectator facilities are on the nearside, with seats built into a steep grass bank, the centre section covered. There's open standing at both ends, while the opposite side is out of bounds, housing a TV gantry and the dugouts. The whole set up is very neat and tidy, and the club officials were all very friendly.
The ground was a step up in quality from my previous visit, and thankfully so was the game. In my experience League of Ireland football, particularly in the top division, is all too often dour and defensive, but this was a lively and entertaining game.
UCD are bottom of the league (thanks to Managhan United's withdrawal) but matched their title-chasing opponents. St Pats went ahead on the stroke of half time. They looked likely to hold on for a win, but, perhaps feeling the effects of a midweek Europa League game in the Balkans, allowed UCD to snatch an equaliser they probably deserved.
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