McCaffrey value still growing after five-star display

GARETH McCaffrey’s loan signing has been one of the shrewdest pieces of business done by Drogheda boss Pete Mahon this year and that fact was proved once more last Saturday night.

The Shamrock Rovers man’s superb long-range strike made it five goals from nine starts and put the Boynesiders firmly in the driving seat going into the second leg, and only Aaron Ashe and Sean Thornton have scored more for the men in claret and blue this season.

Looking back, the Dubliner was happy with his own contribution but insisted that the team’s result was the most important factor.

‘It was a free and it was something we’d worked on a couple of times. I think it was Sean Thornton who played it to me and after I hit it I couldn’t see the ball through the crowd of players.

‘I only knew it was in when I saw the net bulge and heard the roar.

‘It could be up there as one of my best, although my goal against Cobh at home was probably better technically, but the main thing is that the team got the result.

‘For the whole of the first half it was pretty cagey. Neither team wanted to concede, most of the play was in midfield and there was not a whole lot of chances. But at half-time Pete Mahon was very calm and not us not to panic and to put our trust on what we had worked on during the week.

‘When the first goal went in and the second, it put a damper on Cobh’s play.’

Assessing Drogheda’s prospects going into the second leg, McCaffrey continued: ‘It’s a very difficult place to go down to - they had brought 2,000 fans and it was a pretty hostile atmosphere - and we’re very pleased to come away with the win, but at the same time it’s only half-way through the tie.

‘They will go for broke in the second leg and we will have to prepare well in training this week and be ready for that.

‘I think in football anything can happen and I’ve seen teams being 3-0 up and losing a tie. John Gill has been harping on, saying we’re only half-way there.

‘So it’s not over until the 90 minutes are up on Friday and we’ve won nothing yet.

‘I suppose you have to back yourselves and we would fancy ourselves against Wexford, but we have to deal with Cobh first.’

After his fantastic contribution since joining the club back in July - his sending-off against Athlone Town aside - supporters would like nothing more than to see McCaffrey wearing the Drogheda jersey in the Premier Division next season, but the forward remains non-committal about his future at this stage.

‘I’m 20 and 21 in January and my priority is to play football and I’m very happy to do that where I am at the moment. And no matter where I am next season, I will be playing football and I’m very happy about that.’