St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Drogheda United 1
Ronan Macnamara reports from Richmond Park
THE FIRST EDITION of ‘El Clancyco’ ended honours even as St Patrick’s Athletic and Drogheda United played out 1-1 draw at a bitterly cold Richmond Park.
For long periods it looked as if Dayle Rooney’s early opener was going to separate the sides but Darragh Burns rescued a point for a torpid Athletic.
Tim Clancy was facing his old club for the first time since departing for Inchicore in the winter, but the FAI Cup holders didn’t have it all their own way and were frustrated throughout the evening.
Drogheda started the better of the two sides and took a deserved lead in the 16th minute when Rooney pounced on some sluggish Pats defending and finished to the roof of the net.
The hosts dominated the remainder of the first half but were unable to create anything of note with an improvised volley by Eoin Doyle after Anto Breslin’s cross ran loose the best they could muster in the opening half.
Former Drog Mark Doyle saw an effort sail over from inside the area before Jack Scott dragged a shot wide from range.
Kevin Doherty’s side were resolute in their shape and worked some promising counter attacks but couldn’t double their lead before the interval.
Clancy called upon Udinese-bound James Abankwah for the second half and the defender had a rude awakening to the game after he was carved apart by Rooney’s through ball but Joseph Anang was out quickly to close down Evan Weir.
The Saints should have been level on the hour, but Tom Grivosti failed to make sufficient contact with a free header from six yards.
The second period took the same form as the first but Drogheda were comfortable for large parts in their flat 4-5-1 before the introduction of Ben McCormack and Adam Murphy into the Pats midfield injected some purpose.
Mark Doyle spurned a glorious opportunity to level the score but his blushes were spared moments later when Burns darted across the front post to turn Breslin’s cross home and set up a grandstand finish with just under 15 to play.
Pats pushed for the winner late on but were unable to carve out an opening and Drogheda will head up the M1 with a well-earned point.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang, Scott (Abankwah 45), Redmond, Grivosti, Forrester, E. Doyle, M. Doyle (Tunde Owolabi 77), King (Murphy 60), O’Reilly (McCormack 60), Burns, Breslin
Drogheda United: Long, Roughan, Weir, Cowan, Deegan, Massey, Rodney, Williams (Lyons 63), Clarke, Nugent, Poynton