Agony for Drogs as they are denied derby win
DUNDALK DROGHEDA UNITED 2 2
A STOPPAGE-TIME equaliser from great rivals Dundalk denied Drogheda United a deserved three points as Saturday’s Under-19 Louth derby ended all square in Oriel Park.
The Boynesiders welcomed back Sean Trimble after injury and he added strength to the back four, while Gabriel Aghinita came in at left midfield to support Jordan Adeyemo (pictured below) up front, although several first-choice players remained sidelined.
As can happen on the artificial turf at Oriel, it took the visitors a few minutes to get the feel for the paceace of the ball and it was Dundalk who ho put the Drogs s under pressure e from the kickoff.
In the ninth minute the e home side took the lead following - a whipped free kick from the e right which Drogheda eda failed to clear.
After that, though, the Drogs came into the game, with Aghinita making the most of good possession, and on 18 minutes William Hondermarck struck a great left-footed shot to the corner of the net from outside the box for a fine equaliser.
Drogheda were playing good football, with Adeyemo’s pace and intelligent running proving a handful for the home defence, and it was the young forward who scored next in the 35th minute.
Adeyemo made a typical break into the opposition penalty area, the Dundalk keeper - former Drog netminder Harry Hogan - took him down and Adeyemo expertly dispatched the resultant penalty to the corner of the net.
It remained 2-1 to the Boynesiders going into the break, and as the second half progressed the Drogs held their own but would ultimately be made to rue a series of opportunities to give themselves a more comfortable cushion.
That said, Drogs keeper Daniel Grace made a good point-blank save on 55 minutes and punched away a dangerous cross just past the hour mark, but Hondermarck fashioned a Drogheda chance on 70 minutes and five minutes later Adeyemeo’s great run saw him go one-on-one with Hogan, only to delay his shot before being dispossessed.
On 78 minutes Adeyemo’s replacement placementreplacement Tom AdeyAdeyinka misses a similar chachance and with normal ttime almost up AgAghinita shot just oover from a greagreat position.
Three minutes uteminutes into stoppage pastoppage time, thothough, there wawas heartbreak breheartbreak for the DrogDrogs as Dundalk dalkDundalk scrambled the ball oover the line for the equaequaliser. However, althoalthough disappointed with the result, the Boynesiders should take great heart from the possession football they played right through the match which gives cause for optimism when their remaining players return from injury.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Daniel Grace, Dylan Connolly, Leo Tang, Eoin Broughan, Stephen Doran (James Carroll), Sean Trimble, William Hondermarck, Jordan Adeyemo (Tom Adeyinka), Eoin McPhillips (Oisin Proudfoot), Gabriel Aghinita, Josh Scully. Subs: Pedro White, Ben Murphy, Luke Neville, Calum Leonard. •Drogheda United Under-19s play Longford Town at Home Farm this Wednesday at 7.45pm, while the Under-17s are in action tonight (Tuesday) against Dundalk in Oriel Park (kick-off 7.30pm).