Drogheda United 0
Bohemians 0
Barry Landy reports from Weavers Park
BOHEMIANS FAILED TO beat Drogheda United for the first time in five outings this season and these dropped points may prove costly for their European ambitions for next season.
With Shelbourne winning against Cork City, two points dropped sees Bohs slip a place to fifth as the race for Europe approaches the finish line.
Declan Devine’s team were left bemoaning the performance of 17-year-old Drogheda United goalkeeper Andrew Wogan who made a string of saves throughout the 90 minutes to deny the visitors the win they so craved.
United, on the other hand, savoured the display of their newest young star. He already has admirers at home and abroad.
Bohs’ fleeting title charge ultimately fell flat largely due to a sequence of nine league games away from home without victory. A far cry from their vastly superior form at Dalymount Park, their road struggles now threaten their hopes of European qualification too.
They arrived at Weavers Park without an away win since their last visit to the old ground, five months and one day ago. Having beaten Drogheda four times in league and cup action already this season, United might have been seen as the perfect opponent to right that particular wrong.
Goalkeeper Wogan was the star of the show in a game where Bohemians were an almost constant threat to the home goal. The teenager saved three times from in-form Jonathan Afolabi, the first a point-blank block from close range.
The irrepressible James Clarke also saw an effort tipped over and Ali Coote’s shot was blocked by Conor Keeley.
Drogheda’s attacks were intermittent but more threatening than a week previously when they were knocked out of the FAI Cup by the same opposition. Adam Foley saw a shot hacked off the line in the second half. It was their one clear chance to steal a victory.
Wogan produced more of the same in the second half, denying Afolabi again before preventing an own goal as he gratefully leapt on Conor Keeley’s attempted interception of a cross.
The weeks tick by and Cork City’s failure to narrow the gap to Drogheda and Sligo Rovers above them means a fourth straight top-flight campaign becomes more likely with each passing game. Seven points is now their cushion.
Drogheda United: Andrew Wogan; Luke Heeney, Conor Keeley, Evan Weir, Conor Kane; Gary Deegan, Matthew O’Brien; Adam Foley (Darragh Noone, 85), Darragh Markey, Dayle Rooney; Ryan Brennan.
Bohemians: James Talbot; Keith Buckley, Krystian Nowak, Kacper Radkowski, Jordan Flores; Adam McDonnell (John O’Sullivan, 84), James McManus; Dylan Connolly (Danny Grant, 77), James Clarke, Ali Coote (Declan McDaid, 77); Jonathan Afolabi.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin