MARCUS CAVAROLI
DROGHEDA United won many friends with their attacking brand of football last season and it’ll be tough to get ahead of Chris Lyons, Adam Wixted and Mark Doyle in the pecking order in 2020.
However, there is one new face among the forwards this year and Duleek teenager Brandon Bermingham hasn’t signed for his home-town club just to make up the numbers!
The St Mary’s DS Leaving Cert student was only 17 when he put pen to paper back in November but has already featured strongly in the pre-season friendlies and that won’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s been following his fortunes.
Bermingham started out at schoolboy level with St Kevin’s and subsequently joined St Patrick’s Athletic where he competed in the National Under-17 League. However, he came more to prominence in 2019 after moving to Bohemians, where he netted 14 times for the Under-19s and made a few first-team appearances. He also scored several goals for the Republic of Ireland Schools international side in games against Australia, Wales and Scotland.
But while he progressed well under the stewardship of the highly regarded Keith Long, it still wasn’t enough to persuade him to stay at Dalymount Park.
‘There probably was an option to stay at Bohemians, but I wanted to get first-team exposure and play first-team football as soon as possible and I felt I could get that with Drogheda,’ Bermingham explained.
‘I saw that Tim [Clancy] had been playing young lads [last season], and it’s a very young squad this year, with an average age of 22, so it’s a good place for young players to develop.
‘Drogheda is also better for me because it’s closer to home and handier with me doing my Leaving Cert this year - I’ve just finished doing my mocks.’
It’s not so long ago that Bermingham recalls watching Drogheda play, and he’d love to see the club return to the big time in the Premier Division.
‘I used to go and watch Drogheda games in the good old days when I was younger and what I probably remember most were the ones against Rovers because they were good games and there was a great atmosphere.
‘Last year I was following the [play-off] games against Finn Harps and I probably knew at that stage I was coming to Drogheda, but I just didn’t know if they would be in the First Division or the Premier.
‘It’s disappointing they didn’t make it, but then it would have been harder to get into the starting XI if they’d gone up.
‘Hopefully we can get promoted this season.’
It’s a case of so far so good for Bermingham as he’s quickly found his feet around United
Park, helped by the presence of some familiar faces.
‘Tim and Kevin [Doherty] are both very good and I really like them. I would say if anyone wasn’t pulling their weight Tim would give out to them, but I haven’t seen that yet!
‘I know Ryan O’Shea from when I was at St Pat’s, I played with James Clarke on the Irish Schools team and I know Luke Heeney from being around Drogheda as well. It’s helped me big time settle in from knowing so many of the lads.
‘I was talking to James when I was with the Irish Schools and he was saying he wasn’t getting game time when he was at Rovers, and he felt it was more beneficial for his career being with Drogheda.
‘There’s some big characters in the squad. Sean Brennan definitely, and Del Prendergast who’s very vocal and lets you know if you’re out of place, and you definitely need that in a squad.’
In the pre-season games Bermingham has been featuring on the wing, but he feels he can also do a job for Drogheda in a more central position.
‘I think more than likely I’ll be left wing or striker. Chris Lyons did well up front last year and I want to compete with him and Mark Doyle on the left.
‘It is good competition for places, but it makes you a better player when you have that and hopefully I can get into the starting XI.’