The enduring economic miracle of UCD football

Watched by small crowds and run on a minuscule budget, the club still develops emerging talent

When asked why he attended UCD football games, the late Dermot Morgan replied: “Because I hate crowds”. I recalled these words last Wednesday when I sat in torrential rain watching UCD beat Molde FK 2-1 in the UEFA Youth League.

This victory is by far the best achieved by any Irish team in Europe this year, and is a welcome boost for a club which, despite modest means, has had a surprisingly big ...