U.C.D. A Brief History 1895 to 2000

1896 A Catholic Unversity 2nd XI begin playing in non University
Competitions and are founder members of the Leinster Junior league.

1898 Catholic University qualify for the Leinster Senior Cup for the
first time and reach the semi-final.

1908 University College Dublin amalgamates with Catholic University
Medical School

1911/12 First Inter-varsity friendly with Queen's takes place in Dublin U.C.D. win

1912/13 Return game in Belfast ends in a draw.

1914 U.C.D. win inaugural Collingwood Cup

1915 To prove last year was no fluke U.C.D. win the IFA Intermediate Cup beating Portadown 2-1 at Dalymount Park.

1921 19th November   U.C.D. get an away  draw with Shamrock Rovers (then also a non-league  club)Cup in the first preliminary round of the F.A.I. Cup and lose 6-2 at Windy Arbour.

1922 U.C.D. are invited to join the League Of Ireland but have to withdraw without kicking a ball as most of  the team ,being students , are on holidays. U.C.D. are replaced by Rathmines Athletic.

1935 U.C.D. drawn away to Waterford F.C. in the F.A.I. Cup proper for the first time. Waterford run oput 4-2 winners at Kilcohan Park.

1939 U.C.D. get home draw against Bray Unknowns, and draw 1-1. Bray  win 1-0 in replay at Carlisle Grounds.

1945 U.C.D. win the F.A.I. Intermediate Cup defeating Cobh Ramblers 4-2 in the final.

1953 U.C.D. draw Sligo Rovers away in the F.A.I. Cup proper. Original game ends in a 3-3 draw. Replay at Shamrock Rovers ground in Milltown ends in a narrow 3-2 win for Sligo.

1957 U.C.D. featuring Joe Nelson draw Cork Athletic in the F.A. I. Cup proper at the Mardyke in Cork. Athletic win 4-2.

1970 U.C.D. join newly formed League Of Ireland B Division

1973 U.C.D. under club secretary Dr. Tony O'Neill , undertake extensive tour in  North America.

1976 Kevin Moran helps U.C.D. win the Collingwood Cup, team also features Jim McCabe and Martin Moran. U.C.D. become first Western team to play in China.

1977 Kevin Moran signed by Manchester United from Pegasus.

1979 July 22 Elected to League Of Ireland. U.C.D. replace Cork Celtic in a 16 team one Division  League. Dr. Tony O'Neill and Theo Dunne form the management team. Keith Dignam become the first scholarship player. Team including current students and recent graduates and featuring goalkeeper Jim McCabe , striker Martin Moran and the
versatile Dave Cassidy. First season ends with application for re-election.

1980 Influx of players on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps include Dave Norman, Shaun Lowther and top scorer Ralston Dunlop arrives. December 26 U.C.D. defeat St. Patrick's Athletic 2-1 to win their first trophy as a senior  club , the Leinster  Senior Cup. Martin Moran finishes season top scorer with 10 League Goals.

1981 March 5th Dressing Room block officially opened by friendly game against  NASL team Vancouver Whitecaps managed by John Giles. 1980/81 Season ends with a respectable 13th place finish.

1982 March U.C.D. reach last eight of the F.A.I. Cup but Bohemians beat U.C.D. 2-1 at Belfield in Quarter-final. 1981/82 Season ends with a 12th place finish.

1983 U.C.D. have to apply for re-election, despite the influx of players from Vancouver including former Scotland international Peter Lorimer and opt for change in playing policy. Dermot Keely appointed Player-manager and  semi-professionals Alan O'Neill, Paddy Dunning, Robbie Gaffney, Frank Devlin and Robbie Lawlor are signed. After 8
League games Keely is transferred to Shamrock Rovers. U.C.D. beaten Leinster Cup finalists.

1984 U.C.D. reach Shield final and lost to Limerick City on penalties. U.C.D. finish 6th in the League. U.C.D. win the F.A.I. Cup beating  League winners Shamrock Rovers 2-1 in a replay at Tolka Park after a 0-0 draw at Dalymount. Draw Everton in the European Cup-Winners Cup only beaten 1-0 on aggregate.

1985 Enter the year in 2nd place but end the season in 4th    .Defence of Cup ends in a home defeat to Athlone Town at Quarter-final stage. Ken O'Doherty transferred to Crystal Palace in February. MartinMoran and Keith Dignam join Shelbourne at the end of the season.  Semi-professionals released for financial reasons at end of season. Joe Hanrahan transferred to Monaghan United at end of season having finished the season as top scorer. New First Division introduced with 6 new clubs entering the League.

1986 U.C.D. oldest player Martin O'Sullivan  and average age of first team 19, end up relegated alongside  Shelbourne. Top scorer Brendan Murphy joins Shamrock Rovers at the end of the 1985/86 Season. Dr. Tony O'Neill is appointed Gernal Secretary of the F.A.I. Dave Norman(ex Vancouver and U.C.D) plays for Canada in World Cup 1986 held in Mexico.

1987 U.C.D. win World Collegiate Championship in New Mexico in April having finshed 6th in the First Division.

1988 U.C.D. knock League and Cup holders Shamrock Rovers out of the F.A.I.Cup by 2-0 and promptly go out to Longford Town in the quarter- finals. End Season in  5th Place in the First Division.

1989 U.C.D. having only lost 1 away League match during the entire campaign win Promotion to the Premier Division on goal difference  at the end of the 1988/89 season.
Prospects dealt a blow when top scorers Mark McKenna emigrates and David Tilson is Transferred to Bohemians. Peter Hanrahan returns "home " to Limerick City at the start of the 1989/90 season. Hungarian Zoltan Istvan and a few more of his compatriots come into the side.

1990 Inexperience counts and U.C.D finishes the season bottom of the table. Goalkeeper Paul Kavanagh moves to Shamrock Rovers, centre-half Tony McCarthy moves to Derry City and  season top scorer Mick Kavanagh is transferred to Dundalk. Scholarship prospects make up the replacements as major rebuilding takes place.  Dr.Tony O'Neill leaves the F.A.I. and is appointed Director of Sport at U.C.D.

1991 U.C.D. finish the 1990/91 Season in 6th place in the First Division. Paul Cullen breaks Martin Moran's  goalscoring  season record with 11 League goals. U.C.D reach the 1991/92 Shield final and in the Home Leg Visitors Waterford United inaugurate our floodlights in October. U.C.D. win the Shield.

1992 U.C.D. finish 4th in the First Division. Top scorer Paul Cullen and midfielder Gary O'Sullivan are transferred to Shamrock Rovers. Liam Brady's Celtic visit us in July for a pre-season Friendly and only manage a 1-0 win.

1993  U.C.D.  miss out on promotion on the last day of the season losing 0-1 to Cobh Ramblers who go up instead of us! We again finish 4th. Darren O'Brien sets new League Club goalscoring record with 13.

1994 U.C.D. win their 40th Collingwood Cup and their last so far! Finish 4th yet again at the end of the 1993/94 Season. Theo Dunne returns as Head Coach after three years at Home Farm. New signing James Keddy, moves from Whitehall with him. U.C.D. go from November to the end of the season unbeaten in the First Division. U.C.D. win
the First Division Shield for the Second time.

1995 U.C.D. on the back of an 18 match unbeaten run featuring a 10 game winning streak, win the First Division Championship by an 8 point margin. U.C.D beat Dundalk 2-1 in the Leinster Senior Cup final to make it a treble in their Centenary Season. Liverpool play U.C.D. in an end of season Exhibition match at Lansdowne Road in front of almost 23,000 spectators and record a 3-1 victory. No major departures of talented players at the end of the season. Michael O'Byrne tops the clubs goalscoring charts with a record 14 League goals.

1996 U.C.D. finish in 8th Place in the League and retain their Leinster Senior Cup beating Athlone Town in the final on penalties after extra-time.U.C.D. captain Packie Lynch moves to St. Patrick's Athletic, James Keddy departs for Derry City on a Bosman Ruling transfer. Michael O'Byrne equals his record for last season with another 14 League goals.

1997 U.C.D. finish in 8th place in the League yet again. Jason Colwell is transferred to Shamrock Rovers. He is the only major departure.

1998 U.C.D. finish their league Season in 10th place , thanks to a last day 0-2 defeat to Bohemians and have to play in the Promotion/Relegation play-off against Limerick F.C. A  5-2 Aggregate win sees U.C.D. retain their Premier Division status. After 28 years
of membership U.C.D. wins it's First ever Reserve Division Championship. The B team finish their 24 match campaign unbeaten. Top scorer Jason Sherlock and centre-back Terry Palmer are transferred to Shamrock Rovers, long serving Robert Griffin is transferred to his hometown team Waterford United. Seamus Kelly leaves for Cardiff City. Pundits predict our demise as a result of such a loss of talent! Ciaran Kavanagh sets a new League appearances record when he breaks the 200 barrier.

1999 U.C.D. finish the season with a three match winning streak and a 2-0 win over Bohemians consigns them to the play-offs. U.C.D. finish in 6th place their highest since 1985. October 3rd  the end of an era as Dr. Tony O'Neill dies after a short illness.
November  Martin Moran is appointed team manager and returns to Belfield.

2000 March 10th Inaugural Players Alumni Dinner held.23rd April   U.C.D. finish the season , (with a 5-0 win in Drogheda )on  51 League points , having secured  13 league wins in 4th place in the Premier(all club records for a Premier Divisionseason ) and qualify for Europe via the Intertoto.
June 18th U.C.D. draw 3-3 with F.C. VELBAZHD from Kyustendil,
Bulgaria in the Intertoto Cup First Round First leg.
June 25th U.C.D. draw 0-0 in return leg on Bulgaria and go out of the
competition only by the away goals rule.
August 5  U.C.D.'s new siginign from Man.United Youths Kevin Grogan,
former Rep. Of Ireland Under 16 International scores a hat-trick on
his debut in a 5-0 win over Larne in a friendly.
August 12 U.C.D. enter the 2000/2001 Season with no departures
from last season's squad.
September 26 A 7-0 win over Bluebell sees U.C.D. qualify for the
League Cup Quarter-final for the first time.
November 14 A 2-0 win over Bohemians sees U.C.D. into the semi-final.
November 28 U.C.D. beat Limerick 4-0 to secure a place in the League
Cup final for the first time in the club's history.