LEINSTER SENIOR CUP PREVIEW: UCD vs Longford Town

Match Preview by Andrew Dempsey

Longford Town will, at long last, get their 2018 Leinster Senior Cup campaign up and running with a second trip to the capital within as many weeks as Neale Fenn’s Red and Black Army descend on the capital in the 4^th round of the provincial competition to face Collie O’Neill’s First Division table toppers UCD at the UCD Bowl on Tuesday evening. (Kick-Off is at 7.45pm)

Town come into this game on the back of a heart-breaking two-one home defeat to promotion rivals Finn Harps at the City Calling Stadium on Saturday evening despite having much of the play at the Strokestown Road venue as Sam Todd popped up with a cruel blow right at the death.

However, Neale Fenn will take plenty of positives from the game as he knows that his squad are more than capable of holding their own against the division’s elite while playing an entertaining brand of open and attacking football.

On our last trip up to the capital, it was a night to remember for “De Town” as Neale Fenn and his players masterminded a fantastic one-nil victory at Tallaght Stadium as the captain on the night, Daniel O’Reilly scored the all-important winner at the Tallaght venue, which secured our first ever victory at Tallaght Stadium against Shamrock Rovers senior side.

UCD on the other hand have had enjoyed a fantastic start to their First Division campaign this season as the “Students” lie top of the pile after nine games, with some impressive wins over Shelbourne and Cabinteely aiding their cause along the way.

Last time the two sides met, it was Collie O’Neill’s clinical charges that came out on top as Georgie Kelly popped up with a brace as the in-form Donegal man brought the points back to Belfield.

In both of the sides last venture into the Leinster Senior Cup, Longford Town exited at the first hurdle against Firhouse Clover at Tallaght IT while UCD departed the competition in devastatingly cruel fashion in the semi-final against Dundalk via a penalty shootout.

Town, while never winning the competition previously did reach the final back in 2014 as we fell to a 2-1 defeat against Premier Division side St Patrick’s Athletic at the City Calling Stadium as current Town star, Sam Verdon helped Liam Buckley’s charges on their way to the title.

On the injury front, Shane O’Connor and Alan Kehoe remain side-lined with injuries sustained earlier on this season while Shane Elworthy and Peter Hopkins are also likely to miss out with injury problems. Local star Aodh Dervin is a doubt for the game having come off injured on Saturday night against Finn Harps while Cian Byrne is also likely to miss out.

Action shot from our previous league meeting with league leaders, UCD