Drogheda defeat put in stark perspective

THE gulf in class between Drogheda United and the league title contenders was laid bare again as they shipped a heavy defeat at Derry City’s adopted home in Buncrana on Saturday afternoon.

However, by Monday morning the result was the last thing on the minds of everyone connected with the two clubs - and indeed the wider sporting community - as word spread of the sudden passing of Derry’s captain Ryan McBride.

The 27-year-old native, who was raised a stone’s throw from The Brandywell, was found dead at his home beside the stadium on Sunday evening, barely 24 hours after shaking hands with the Drogheda players at the final whistle following the Candystripes’ 4-0 victory.

This was the Boynesiders’ third test in eight days against top-four opposition and, like Cork the week before, Pete Mahon’s team came up well short despite managing to keep 11 men on the field on this occasion.

Ultimately, they were undone by an eight-minute Barry McNamee hat-trick in the second half, but things might have turned out very differently had the away side managed to convert one or two of four clear-cut chances before the interval. Stephen Elliott could himself have been the hat-trick hero, but it proved a day to forget for the former international after opening his Drogheda account the week before.

With The Brandywell being redeveloped, Maginn Park is hosting Derry City’s home games for 2017 and, despite the Six Nations rugby being on TV and heavy rain sweeping in from the Atlantic in the hour before kick-off, a good home crowd made the 50km round trip to the Donegal venue.

With only one small covered stand at the Inishowen League’s headquarters, umbrellas protected many supporters from the elements, while the assembled media had the apparent advantage of being housed in a temporary covered gantry. However, the facility was far from being waterproof and sheets of rain leaked through the roof onto laptops and other equipment at various stages in the game.

Considering the deluge, the pitch held up well and in the opening seconds there was a warning for Drogheda when Mark Timlin pounced on a poor clearance by keeper Stephen McGuinness, only to blaze over the bar.

However, the visitors could easily have got their noses in front on two minutes when Sean Thornton planted a free kick straight onto the head of Gavin Brennan whose glanced effort bounced just the wrong side of the post.

Even at this early stage Derry’s play was a joy to watch as they attacked at pace with numbers and it took a fine interception by Lloyd Buckley to deny Barry McNamee a clear run on goal.

Then Josh Daniels’ searing pace on the wing caught Colm Deasy unawares and the full-back unceremoniously brought his man down just outside the box, resulting in an Aaron McEneff free kick which was diverted narrowly wide by McBride at full stretch.

McEneff had a long-range effort gathered safely by McGuinness before Daniels picked out the on-rushing Ronan Curtis who advanced on goal, only for the Under-21 international to slice his shot badly wide.

A glorious Derry chance went begging on 23 minutes when Timlin got in behind Deasy and delivered a perfect cross for McNamee whose glancing header was poor and easily gathered by McGuinness.

Next it was Timlin who momentarily had a sight of goal, but young left-back Conor Kane just did enough to snuff out the chance, getting a decisive touch on the ball after a sliding challenge.

Then it was Drogheda’s turn to threaten as Richie Purdy’s pass put Elliott clean through on goal, running unchallenged from just inside the Derry half. The veteran striker did get a decent shot away, but Derry keeper Ger Doherty stood up well and batted the ball away with his hand at shoulder height.

McGuinness had to be sharp to deal with an inswinging free kick by McEneff who tried to catch him out at his near post, but Drogheda responded by creating another great chance. Shane Elworthy, making his first senior start, played a neat one-two with Deasy, accelerated down the right flank and delivered a brilliant cross for Elliott, with no Derry player in close proximity. Somehow the veteran striker nodded just over the bar when he seemed certain to score.

The Drogs’ goal had an escape when McGuinness was tempted off his line by Nicky Low’s throughball for Curtis who chipped onto the roof of the empty net.

The Boynesiders just weren’t keeping the ball well enough when they had possession and Derry finally made the breakthrough their overall play probably deserved on 41 minutes. A Drogheda attack broke down and McEneff immediately picked out Daniels who sprinted up the left touchline. Daniels’ early cross was collected by Curtis who took a touch before burying a low shot past McGuinness.

The visitors passed up another great opportunity in first-half injury time, however. Brennan released Elliott who swept play wide to Elworthy, and once again the teenager crossed with pinpoint accuracy, only for Elliott to divert the ball inches wide with his thigh.

On the restart Drogheda did put together a fine move in the 52nd minute, but the attack came to nothing when Brennan messed up an attempted trick when he could have released a simple pass for the on-rushing Kane.

After McNamee snatched at a 56th-minute Derry chance and shot high and wide the game went into a lull, with Drogheda looking fairly comfortable for the first time in the game.

Indeed, two subs combined on 71 minutes to create an opportunity of an equaliser as Gareth McCaffrey released Thomas Byrne who ran directly at the Derry defence before firing wide from 20 yards.

With a quarter of an hour left, the Boynesiders were still well in the game, but Derry’s second goal opened the floodgates.

There was some controversy about McNamee’s first strike as Jake Hyland was down on the ground, having taken a knock to the head, only for ref Ray Matthews to allow the game continue rather than stopping play to allow attention for the midfielder. Seconds later the ball was in the Drogheda net as McNamee toe-poked past McGuinness from eight yards.

Drogheda went to pieces after that and barely a minute later McNamee smashed home a rebound after McGuinness had parried a Daniels effort - 3-0.

Then on 83 minutes Buckley