Drogheda United 0
Sligo Rovers 0
Barry Landy reports from Head In The Game Park
THIS CLASH of Drogheda United and Sligo Rovers will not live long in the memory as the sides played out an instantly forgettable scoreless draw.
Neither team were truly deserving of all three points at the end of a mostly dour game that, at least, sparked into life late in the second half.
Drogheda to their credit made three attacking changes in the space of eight second-half minutes in an attempt to claim a match that was there for the taking. Adam Foley, Chris Lyons and Darragh Markey were all introduced and United were much the better side during their time on the pitch.
Kevin Doherty had had to plan without Foley and Markey for large chunks of the season and they are fully fit now as United extended their unbeaten streak to five games. Finn Harps are becoming an increasingly distant speck in their rear-view mirror. Drogheda are 10 points clear.
John Russell extended his unbeaten run as Sligo boss to four games with this point too. His side had two brief glimpses at goal in the opening 45 minutes.
Nine-goal striker Aidan Keena was involved in both. He robbed Dane Massey of the ball in the area and squared but Evan Weir was on hand to clear with the goal gaping. Later, Keena latched onto Ed McGinty’s forward ball but he couldn’t direct his effort on goal.
Sligo began the second half in a more aggressive fashion and did go close minutes after the restart. Will Fitzgerald stole the ball from Andrew Quinn and raced into the area. His touch took the ball away from him however and Luke Heeney made a well-timed recovery tackle.
The substitutions changed the game but not ultimately the result. Lyons forced a save from Ed McGinty and then Markey created the match’s clearest opening. He slipped in Foley but the striker failed to test the Sligo netminder. His shot was wide, under pressure from Paddy Kirk who had sensed the danger.
At the death, Fitzgerald could have won it for Sligo but a Drogheda defender deflected his close-range effort around the post.
Drogheda United: Colin McCabe; Luke Heeney, Andrew Quinn, Evan Weir, Dane Massey; James Clarke (Adam Foley, 66), Gary Deegan; Darragh Nugent, Ryan Brennan, Dayle Rooney (Darragh Markey, 72); Dean Williams (Chris Lyons, 74).
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Colm Horgan, Lewis Banks, Shane Blaney, Paddy Kirk; Niall Morahan (David Cawley, 65), Adam McDonnell; Karl O’Sullivan (Cillian Heaney, 71), Aidan Keena, Will Fitzgerald; Max Mata.
Referee: Neil Doyle