Treaty United's search for first league win goes on as UCD prevail at Belfield

TREATY United continued their winless and goalless start to the season following a disappointing 2-0 defeat to UCD at a rainy Belfield Bowl in the SSE Airtricity League First Division on Friday evening.

A first-half brace from Ciarán Behan was enough to sink the Markets Field-based side, who remain
rooted to the bottom of the First Division table after three straight defeats.

It has also been a scoreless start to the campaign for Tommy Barrett’s men, despite encouraging performances against promotion favourites Cork City and Bray Wanderers in their opening
two fixtures.

It didn’t take long for the hosts to hit the front, with the opener arriving in the seventh minute.

Mickey Raggett dribbled his way into the Treaty box following a mazy run before unleashing a shot that rattled the bottom left post. As the rebound pinballed around the area, it fell kindly to Behan, who stroked the ball into the empty net from close range.

Six minutes later, it should have been two. A sweeping UCD move carved the Treaty defence open, and a deft backheel from Louis Dignam rolled the ball into the path of a totally unmarked Stephen Mohan, but his low effort was well saved by Jack Brady.

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In the 22nd minute the students were unlucky not to double their lead. A ball played over the top found Dignam clean through on goal, but a heavy touch allowed Brady to gather comfortably.

Treaty’s first real effort came five minutes later as Mark Byrne flashed a shot from the edge of the box well over the crossbar.

Shortly after, UCD doubled their advantage in spectacular fashion thanks to a solo effort from Behan to complete his brace. The UCD forward drove from deep towards the Treaty area before unleashing a powerful strike beyond Brady into the top corner.

Five minutes after the restart, Jason Oyenuga went agonisingly close to halving the deficit, his rasping effort from the edge of the box deflecting just wide of the post. Treaty applied sustained pressure early in the second half, with Robbie Lynch next to test Dara Kavanagh, whose full-stretch save kept the hosts’ clean sheet intact.

Matthew Alonge nearly added a third for UCD four minutes from time after picking up possession on the edge of the area, but his curling left-footed effort drifted just wide.

Killian Cailloce stung Brady’s palms moments later with a driven strike that was again well saved.

Next up for Tommy Barrett’s side is the visit of Munster rivals Kerry FC to the Markets Field next Friday, 7.45pm. The Kingdom are also winless this season, with one point on the board following
a 1-1 draw at home to Longford Town.

UCD: Dara Kavanagh, Ciaran Behan, Luca Cailloce, Eanna Clancy, Louis Dignam, Mikey McCullagh, Stephen Mohan (Killian Cailloce 78), Sean Murphy (Carl Lennox 78), Luke O’Regan, Mickey Raggett (Hugh Smith 78), Adam Wells.

Treaty United: Jack Brady, Mark Byrne (Jason Oyenuga 31), Cian Curtis, Ben Feeney (Roy Lawlor 72), Steven Healy (Ben Lee 45), Ben Lynch, Robbie Lynch, Mark Murphy, Darren Nwankwo, Raphael Ohin (Jevontae Layne 72), Mark Walsh (Fionn Doherty 82).

Referee: Ryan Maher.