UCD’s safe passage to Sunday’s First Division play-off final was never in doubt as they eased past Longford Town at the UCD Bowl.
Already 2-0 up after the first-leg, College barely broke sweat as goals in each half from Mikey McCullagh and Hugh Smith completed a straightforward victory that will keep their season alive for another game at least.
The Students will face Bray Wanderers in Sunday’s division final at Tolka Park (3.00pm) with the winner progressing to face the ninth-placed team in the Premier Division – currently Drogheda United – for the right to play in the top flight next season.
The onus was on Longford to come out fighting, but they never looked capable of inflicting the sort of damage needed to get themselves back into this tie.
Darragh Murtagh was put through early on but his shot from a decent position in the box clipped defender Harry Curtis and went out for a corner.
Murtagh then fizzed another effort over the crossbar from further out but Longford’s attacking play lacked conviction when it mattered – and UCD showed their First Division rivals how to pack a punch with the lead goal after 19 minutes.
Sean Murphy took a throw-in from under the stand that was quickly headed back to him. He clipped an early cross into the box for McCullagh to expertly sweep home first-time with his left-foot.
It was a brilliantly taken goal by McCullagh and, added to Louis Dignam and Smith’s first-leg strikes, it was hard to see any way back for Longford who huffed and puffed to half-time with Andy Paraschiv’s scruffy shot never threatening.
UCD just had more purpose to their attacks and Luca Cailloce skimmed the crossbar with an angled shot before Sam Norval put the ball on a plate for Smith but, at full stretch, he couldn’t connect from close range.
But never mind, he was merely conserving energy for the run and finish he provided for UCD’s second goal – 12 minutes into the second-half – that buried Longford once and for all.
Clearing his lines, College defender Carl Lennox pumped a long ball towards Smith, which he collected inside his own half. But he quickly set off on a purposeful run and held off Paraschiv who was tracking back, before finishing low and left-footed.
UCD could have won by more in injury-time but Longford goalkeeper Kian Moore pulled off a flying save to deny substitute Stephen Mohan when he attempted to bend a shot high into the corner of the net.
UCD: Dara Kavanagh; Sean Murphy (Adam Wells 73), Luca Cailloce, Carl Lennox, Harry Curtis; Mikey McCullagh (Matthew Alonge 79), Louis Dignam, Jayden Goad (Tom Morley 68), Ciaran Behan (Charles Akinrintayo 73; Hugh Smith (Stephen Mohan 68), Sam Norval.
Longford Town: Kian Moore; Sultan Adenekan (Stefan Ugbesia 45), Cole Omorehiomwan (Daniel McKenna 76), Taylor McCarthy, Jake Hough; Alex O’Brien, Sean Moore (Scott Brady 66); Aaron Doran, Pharrell Manuel (Jamie Egan 67), Andy Paraschiv (Dean George 66); Daragh Murtagh
Referee: Oliver Moran