GALWAY UNITED PRODUCED an Easter weekend miracle of their own to come from two goals down to beat Drogheda United at Sullivan and Lambe Park.
The outcome would have been scarcely believable after an opening 20 minutes that Drogheda dominated. They were fully deserving of their two-goal advantage and it could have been more.
Goals from Mark Doyle and Jago Godden had them in total control, and even Francely Lomboto’s strike from nothing did not change the flow of the contest in any meaningful way.
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A double substitution for the ages worked wonders in the second half, Kris Twardek and Axel Piesold turned the game on its head for John Caulfield’s side.
Somewhat surprisingly, Kevin Doherty chose to make no changes from the team that started Friday night’s scoreless draw at home to Bohemians. Substitute Shane Farrell, who lost consciousness and collapsed to the turf that night was, naturally, missing from the matchday squad this time.
Galway, meanwhile, made six changes to their XI from the team that earned victory over Derry City. Stephen Walsh, Twardek, Lee Devitt and Arthur Parker dropped to the bench, Jimmy Keohane and Aaron Bolger were missing altogether and Frantz Pierrot, Edward McCarthy, Lomboto and Wasiri Williams were among those introduced.
Pierrot was returning to the club with which he won the FAI Cup two years. Prior to joining the Tribesmen this year, he last act in the League of Ireland had been hitting a brace in a man-of-the-match performance in the promotion/relegation playoff against Bray – a result that kept United in the top flight.
Drogheda found themselves two goals ahead inside 18 minutes. They scored a third minute opener. Doyle met Brandon Kavanagh’s corner at the back post and poked in with his outstretched right foot.
Another Kavanagh corner led to Drogs’ doubling their advantage. From the same side, Kavanagh’s delivery found Conor Keeley. His header came back off the upright and midfielder Godden prodded in from close range.
When Lomboto struck from 20 yards, totally catching out Luke Dennison, the deficit was halved. But that was hardly reflective of the game where Drogheda looked more comfortable in possession and held more of a threat going forward.
Godden was denied a second after half-time when Evan Watts saved his fiercely struck volley and Doyle should have done more with a presentable header in front of goal. Drogheda would live to rue those missed chances.
That double Galway substitution changed everything. Twardek and Piesold entered the fray on 60 minutes. By the 61st, Twardek had lobbed Dennison with his first touch to level matters.
Seven minutes later, Piesold struck the decisive blow. From Twardek’s low centre, the English midfielder had time to steady himself before firing a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the far bottom corner.
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Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; James Bolger, Conor Keeley, Andrew Quinn (Kieran Cruise, 75); Edwin Agbaje (Jason Bucknor, 58), Jago Godden, Ethan O’Brien (Ryan Brennan, 26), Conor Kane; Brandon Kavanagh; Mark Doyle (Thomas Oluwa, 75), Warren Davis.
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Galway United mount dramatic comeback from two down to defeat Drogheda
Drogheda United 2
Galway United 3
Barry Landy reports from Sullivan & Lambe Park
GALWAY UNITED PRODUCED an Easter weekend miracle of their own to come from two goals down to beat Drogheda United at Sullivan and Lambe Park.
The outcome would have been scarcely believable after an opening 20 minutes that Drogheda dominated. They were fully deserving of their two-goal advantage and it could have been more.
Goals from Mark Doyle and Jago Godden had them in total control, and even Francely Lomboto’s strike from nothing did not change the flow of the contest in any meaningful way.
A double substitution for the ages worked wonders in the second half, Kris Twardek and Axel Piesold turned the game on its head for John Caulfield’s side.
Somewhat surprisingly, Kevin Doherty chose to make no changes from the team that started Friday night’s scoreless draw at home to Bohemians. Substitute Shane Farrell, who lost consciousness and collapsed to the turf that night was, naturally, missing from the matchday squad this time.
Galway, meanwhile, made six changes to their XI from the team that earned victory over Derry City. Stephen Walsh, Twardek, Lee Devitt and Arthur Parker dropped to the bench, Jimmy Keohane and Aaron Bolger were missing altogether and Frantz Pierrot, Edward McCarthy, Lomboto and Wasiri Williams were among those introduced.
Pierrot was returning to the club with which he won the FAI Cup two years. Prior to joining the Tribesmen this year, he last act in the League of Ireland had been hitting a brace in a man-of-the-match performance in the promotion/relegation playoff against Bray – a result that kept United in the top flight.
Drogheda found themselves two goals ahead inside 18 minutes. They scored a third minute opener. Doyle met Brandon Kavanagh’s corner at the back post and poked in with his outstretched right foot.
Another Kavanagh corner led to Drogs’ doubling their advantage. From the same side, Kavanagh’s delivery found Conor Keeley. His header came back off the upright and midfielder Godden prodded in from close range.
When Lomboto struck from 20 yards, totally catching out Luke Dennison, the deficit was halved. But that was hardly reflective of the game where Drogheda looked more comfortable in possession and held more of a threat going forward.
Godden was denied a second after half-time when Evan Watts saved his fiercely struck volley and Doyle should have done more with a presentable header in front of goal. Drogheda would live to rue those missed chances.
That double Galway substitution changed everything. Twardek and Piesold entered the fray on 60 minutes. By the 61st, Twardek had lobbed Dennison with his first touch to level matters.
Seven minutes later, Piesold struck the decisive blow. From Twardek’s low centre, the English midfielder had time to steady himself before firing a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the far bottom corner.
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; James Bolger, Conor Keeley, Andrew Quinn (Kieran Cruise, 75); Edwin Agbaje (Jason Bucknor, 58), Jago Godden, Ethan O’Brien (Ryan Brennan, 26), Conor Kane; Brandon Kavanagh; Mark Doyle (Thomas Oluwa, 75), Warren Davis.
Galway United: Evan Watts; Wasiri Williams, Killian Brouder, Gianfranco Facchineri; Edward McCarthy (Kris Twardek, 60), David Hurley, Cian Barratt (Conor McCormack, 82), Matthew Wolfe, Al-Amin Kazeem (Lee Devitt, 46); Francely Lomboto (Axel Piesold, 60), Frantz Pierrot (Stephen Walsh, 46).
Referee: Oliver Moran
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