Dundalk 3
Drogheda United 1
Niall Newberry reports from Oriel Park
IT’S TWO WINS from two in the SSE Airtricity League for Dundalk after The Lilywhites ran out 3-1 winners over local rivals Drogheda United in front of their home support.
Fresh from a 5-0 win over Cork City four days beforehand, Dundalk found themselves behind after Kyle Robinson had given Kevin Doherty’s in-form side the advantage.
However, Dundalk battled back, and goals from Paul Doyle, Daniel Kelly and Patrick Hoban ensured that they kept pressure on the teams above them in the Premier Division.
The first 10 minutes of this Louth derby didn’t yield any chances at either end, although Sam Durrant was looking lively for Dundalk, who were marking their 120th anniversary.
And the first effort of the night fell the way of The Lilywhites, with Doyle finding himself in space, however his long-range shot was always sailing over Andrew Wogan’s crossbar.
Dundalk should have hit the front on 21 minutes, when a lovely one-two between Archie Davies and Hoban set Kelly on his way, and his cross bounced off Conor Kane and into the path of Durrant, who somehow missed on open goal from about three yards out.
At the other end, Adam Foley flashed an effort dangerously across goal after being set up by Luke Heeney, but Dundalk were soon after made to pay for that earlier Durrant miss.
That’s because it was Drogheda who broke the derby deadlock on 26 minutes, with Dayle Rooney’s ball catching the hosts napping before Robinson, who had barely five minutes earlier replaced the injured Ryan Brennan up top, slotted underneath Nathan Shepperd.
But Dundalk levelled matters five minutes before half-time; Daryl Horgan’s corner from the right was met by the head of Hoban and blocked out by Foley, but only into the path of Doyle, whose first-time hit from the edge of the area crept into the bottom-left corner.
Drogheda had two opportunities to restore the lead towards the end of the half, though, with Foley’s low drive going straight down the throat of Dundalk goalkeeper Shepperd.
Then, in stoppage-time, Darren Brownlie twice gifted possession to Foley, who slipped Robinson through on goal, but Shepperd did well to push the Drogheda player out wide.
Oriel Park erupted less than 60 seconds into the second period, with a Davies low cross being poked home by Kelly from close range to make it 2-1 for Stephen O’Donnell’s team.
It could have been 3-1 after another cross from Davies, named Dundalk’s player of the month prior to kick-off, was hooked off the line by Heeney just as Horgan was lurking.
Drogheda had a big chance to go level on 72 minutes, however, when Brownlie failed to deal with a Kane cross, giving Warren Davis and opportunity to lift the ball over Shepperd, but luckily for the hosts, the Drogheda substitute could only find the bar.
Hoban should have made the points safe for Dundalk, when his close-range attempt after getting on the end of a Horgan right-field cross was deflected out of play by Jamie Egan.
The Dundalk skipper did get his goal from the resultant corner, however, heading home a trademark finish at the back post from Horgan’s delivery, this time from the left side.
Kane fired over for Drogheda as the game entered its closing stages, while at the opposite end, Hoban did the same for Dundalk, who ran out 3-1 winners in the 175th Louth derby.
Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Greg Sloggett, Darren Brownlie, Robbie Benson; Johannes Yli-Kokko (Hayden Muller 67), Paul Doyle (John Martin 78); Daniel Kelly, Daryl Horgan (Alfie Lewis 78), Sam Durrant (Ryan O’Kane 67); Patrick Hoban (Senan Mullen 90+2).
Drogheda United: Andrew Wogan; Luke Heeney, Jamie Egan, Evan Weir, Conor Kane; Gary Deegan, Matthew O’Brien; Adam Foley, Darragh Markey (Warren Davis 62), Dayle Rooney (Luke Wade-Slater 79); Ryan Brennan (Kyle Robinson 20).
Referee: Rob Hennessy
Attendance: 2,827.
***
Galway United may have been confirmed as the First Division champions last week but they continued their ruthless streak with a 6-0 win over Athlone Town tonight.
In terms of the promotion chasers, Shane Keegan’s Cobh Ramblers suffered defeat away to Bray, while Waterford and Wexford played out a 0-0 draw. And Finn Harps overcame Kerry in a basement battle.
Tonight’s First Division results
- Galway United 6-0 Athlone Town
- Bray 2-1 Cobh Ramblers
- Waterford 0-0 Wexford
- Finn Harps 2-1 Kerry.