Bohemians 0
Drogheda United 0
DROGHEDA UNITED RECORDED their third-consecutive SSE Airtricity League Premier Division stalemate as they held a frustrated Bohemians side at Dalymount Park.
Prior to kick-off any may have forecasted a low-scoring tie given the fact that the game pitted two of the three lowest scoring teams in the division together, however, the match was still rich in chances where either side had chances to take the three-points into the mid-season break.
The first opening arrived on the 20th minute thanks to an Adam Wixted-orchestrated attack. The former Derby County winger cut inside from the right before showing sublime feet to skip by Ian Morris and slip Marc Griffin through on goal. However, Griffin’s strike was superbly stopped by Shane Supple down the middle of the target.
The Gypsies immediately responded with a near-miss of their own after a clever free-kick routine allowed Georgie Poynton to lace a shot towards the target only for Stephen McGuinness to show good hands to clutch onto the long-distance effort.
On 33 minutes, United again came close when Griffin’s whipped corner found Wixted lurking in the six-yard area but his low-drive was brilliantly stopped by Supple at the foot of the post.
On the stroke of half-time the Boynesiders thought they had nabbed the lead when Griffin’s delicate lob almost snuck into the net, however, Derek Pender was perfectly placed to head the ball off the goal-line and ensure the score was locked at a stalemate heading into the break.
Despite the hosts controlling the best part of the second-half, they struggled to open up the well-oiled Drogheda back-line and Ryan Masterson, a recent Drogheda recruit from English Northern Premier League side Hyde United, almost made them pay when he was played in by Sean Brennan on 73 minutes.
He tried to pick out his near-post but the impressive Supple again made the save with an outstretched arm to turn it around the post.
With quarter-of-an-hour to play, Keith Ward found space just outside the area. He set himself up well before planting a shot onto the target, however McGuinness dove low to bat it away.
Keith Long’s side continued to press late into the tie but were consistently denied by the exceptional Drogheda defence.
The point means Bohemians remain in seventh place, four points above the drop-zone while Pete Mahon’s men, who have now failed to score in their last five league games, sit one spot and one point outside the bottom three.
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Derek Pender (c), Rob Cornwall, Dan Byrne, Ian Morris; Georgie Poynton, Fuad Sule, Oscar Brennan (Philly Gannon, 71), Lorcan Fitzgerald (Kaleem Simon, 82); Keith Ward, Dinny Corcoran
Drogheda United: Stephen McGuinness; Colm Deasy, Luke Gallagher, Ciaran McGuigan, Stepehen Dunne; Jake Hyland (Ryan Masterson, 68), Ryan McEvoy, Sean Brennan; Adam Wixted, Marc Griffin (Thomas Byrne, 79), Gavin Brennan
Referee: Lee Evans (Welsh FA)
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