Encouraging signs for fans
TIM Clancy’s first game in charge of Drogheda United ended in an encouraging victory over Premier Division opposition at United Park last Tuesday night.
In a match that featured 21 substitutions, not too much can be read into the result, but Drogs fans perhaps went home feeling a little bit more optimistic than they were 90 minutes earlier about the year ahead.
The Boynesiders had just two of their starting XI making their debuts for the club - Chris Lyons and Ciaran Kelly - and from the start the hosts were on the front foot as Gareth McCaffrey’s cross from the right picked out Jake Hyland who fired over the crossbar.
Hyland got forward again on 14 minutes and this time his left-foot effort was on target, forcing Bohs keeper Shane Supple into action.
At the other end Rob Manley and Keith Ward were both denied by Drogs netminder Paul Skinner and a JJ Lunney effort fizzed just past the upright.
Coming up to the half-hour mark the visitors were lucky not to concede as McCaffrey cut inside his marker before having a powerful drive beaten away by Supple, with big shouts for a penalty kick in the scramble that followed.
Drogheda deservedly went in front coming up to half-time when Sean Brennan cut inside two defenders before sending an angled shot beyond the helpless Supple - a fine individual effort.
Bohs made 10 of their 11 changes at the interval, while the Drogheda substitutions were more spread out, but on 63 minutes it was the away side who drew level thanks to a penalty kick from Manley after he himself had been fouled.
However, the Boynesiders immediately restored their lead as their long-serving defender Lloyd Buckley (Victor Ekanem??) - who hasn’t scored a competitive goal since 2015 - stooped to head home a corner kick.
Adam Kmet, one of several trialists who saw action for Drogheda on the night, preserved their slender advantage with a magnificent save from Philly Gannon in the 77th minute and also tipped a Jamie Hamilton shot around the post as the home side held out for a deserved victory. DROGHEDA UNITED: Paul Skinner (Adam Kmet 50), Colm Deasy (Lloyd Buckley 46), Ciaran Kelly, Kevin Farragher (Victor Ekanem 58), Conor Kane (James Carroll 70), Gareth McCaffrey (Gilmar Fernandez 58), Jake Hyland (Jordan Kelly 70), Sean Brennan (Kealan Dillon 46), Richie Purdy (Luke Rossiter 50), Mark Doyle (Stephen Meaney 46), Chris Lyons (Lee Duffy 58). Sub not used: Luka Gratzer.
BOHEMIANS: Shane Supple (Colin McCabe 46), Derek Pender (Andy Lyons 46), Dan Byrne (JR Wilson 46), Dan Casey (Rob Cornwall 46), Paddy Kirk (Darragh Leahy 46), Paddy Kavanagh (Karl Moore 46), Keith Buckley (Jamie Hamilton 46), Ian Morris (Oscar Brennan 46), JJ Lunney (Kevin Devaney 46), Keith Ward (Philly Gannon 46), Rob Manley (Danny Grant 65).