Season Review 2016 - UCD

Manager: Collie O'Neill

Top Scorer: Gary O'Neill (13).

Highest Attendance: 457vs. Limerick FC (August 28th).

Lowest Attendance: 175 vs. Cabinteely (July 8th).

Star Player: Maxi Kouogun

In only his second season as a senior player, Maxi has continued to excel and became an integral part of the UCD defence during the 2016 season. Starting all but three league games, the 19-year-old proved himself strong and athletic in defence, very capable when on the ball and playing it out from the back, while also a very dangerous attacking presence from set pieces.

In total Kouogun scored 6 goals, including two against league winners Limerick. It's certain Maxi will continue to progress and improve defensively and he'll surely be one of the Students' most important players next season.

Best Young Player: Liam Scales

The young under 19s defender only made his debut after the mid-season break in the 4-1 victory over Cabinteely.

He subsequently started every single game, mainly at left back for the rest of the season and impressed throughout. Having only turned 18 in August, Scales has already proven himself as a potential starter in the first team next season, while he also chipped in with two goals in the short space of time. Yet another bright prospect coming through the conveyor belt at UCD.

Best New Signing: Georgie Kelly

The ex-Derry u19 striker was probably the least well known pre-season signing made by Collie O'Neill, yet he made the biggest mark. Starting only 10 league games, and otherwise earning limited minutes from the bench, Kelly scored an impressive six league goals. If he continues to progress he'll surely find his name in the starting line-up a lot more often next season, and will aim to make it into double figures in the goal-scoring charts.

What we expected they would do: Our reporters’ predictions at the beginning of 2016 suggested UCD would finish in second place and therefore be involved in the play-off positions by the end of the season. Five reporters even tipped that UCD would top the table above the heavy favourites Limerick, while the lowest position predicted for UCD was fourth place. Such predictions could definitely be justified by the Students' European exploits the previous season and the fact they were involved in the 2015 play-offs.

What we expected they would do: 

Our reporters’ predictions at the beginning of 2016 suggested UCD would finish in second place and therefore be involved in the play-off positions by the end of the season. Five reporters even tipped that UCD would top the table above the heavy favourites Limerick, while the lowest position predicted for UCD was fourth place. Such predictions could definitely be justified by the Students' European exploits the previous season and the fact they were involved in the 2015 play-offs.

What they actually did:

UCD earned one less point than the 2015 season, and also finished one place lower and crucially outside of the play-off positions. Overall, the Students improved their goalscoring ability by six goals, but were a lot less secure in defence, leaking a total of 40 goals, almost a 50 per cent increase on 2015. Considering the College went on a European run during the 2015 season and didn't have that distraction during the 2016 season, it just further amplifies how disappointing the season has been. Arguably, it came down to the final game and a win against Drogheda United in that game could have resulted in a completely different outcome. However, UCD's consistency was simply not good enough. Too many points were dropped in the first two months of the season and also in the final run-in.

What they need to improve on for next year: 

As already outlined, UCD have to improve defensively in 2017. After keeping nine clean sheets in 2015, last season saw a paltry two clean sheets kept over the course of 28 games. That's a dreadful deterioration. During 2016 many of the players considered most important to the UCD cause underperformed, while various players were struggling with fitness over the course of the year too. Performances and fitness levels need to raise quite a lot ahead of the 2017 season, but perhaps the new season will offer UCD as good a chance as they've had since relegation to win promotion given the relative strength of the other teams they'll be competing with to return to the Premier Division. Therefore, closer harmony between the existing players and squad can only be a strength going forward.

#GreatestLeagueInTheWorld moment of season:

UCD hosted Limerick late in April and with the score 2-1 to Limerick, Niall Corbett conceded a penalty and was subsequently sent-off. The opportunity came for the vociferous Limerick supporters to hurl abuse at the substitute keeper Conor O'Donnell as he prepared to come on. They couldn't help but remind him about his association with the team relegated the season before, as he'd been on the Limerick books during their 2015 struggles. He subsequently dropped his gloves in the rush to get ready, providing more ammunition to the strong away following. However, as fate would have it, he came on and prevented captain Shane Duggan from securing his hatrick, saving low to his right, and instantly earning congratulatory chants from the Limerick fans.