DROGHEDA UNITED HAVE suffered a major blow in their bid to avoid the promotion/relegation play-off after it was confirmed that on-loan duo Freddie Draper and Elicha Ahui will return to parent club Lincoln City at the end of this month.
The pair have been key parts of manager Kevin Doherty’s side with striker Draper’s eight goals making him their top scorer.
Drogheda are currently seventh, level on 23 points with Sligo Rovers, while Cork City are on 21 points in the promotion/relegation spot. UCD are well adrift at the bottom of the table on nine points.
Doherty takes Drogheda to face Cork this Friday, and while Ahui will be available to play before he heads back to England, Draper is suspended following his red card last weekend.
The forward is fourth in the overall scoring charts for the Premier Division and was rewarded for his form by winning SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for May, the first Drogheda player to do so since 2014, and the first teenager to pick up the accolade in 24 years.
Defender Ahui also impressed at right back, making 20 appearances in total, and Doherty said: “I’d like to thank both players for their outstanding contribution to the club during their time with us.
“I must also thank Jez George, Director of Football and all at Lincoln City for their ongoing cooperation with us.”
At the other end of the table, Derry yesterday added winger Paul McMullan to their ranks as they prepare for the title run-in with Shamrock Rovers.
The former Dundee man was named in the Scottish Championship Team of the Year for last season and links up with Mark Connolly, whom he played alongside at Dundee United, and ex-Celtic teammate Michael Duffy.
Derry travel to face Rovers at Tallaght Stadium this evening.
