Drogheda happy to clear first hurdle
TRIPS to Cobh can be fraught with danger - just ask Shelbourne who lost twice there last year - and so Drogheda United were relieved and delighted to kick off the season with a win last Saturday.
Patience was a virtue at St Colman’s Park as the Boynesiders initially struggled to adapt to the poor pitch, but they came good in the second half to make it seven victories from seven against the Ramblers since Tim Clancy took charge.
This was never going to be a game for the football purist as heavy rain over the past few weeks left the surface badly cut up, and even the simplest pass occasionally went astray because of an untimely bobble.
Clancy made a couple of difficult calls with his selection, naming 18-year-old David Odumosu between the sticks despite the return to fitness of Ross Treacy, while two experienced heads in Sean Brennan and Hugh Douglas were left on the bench as Richie O’Farrell and Jack Tuite got the nod instead.
The opening quarter was a largely forgettable affair, with neither keeper tested, although there was no shortage of effort and that was epitomised by Conor Kane winning one particular 50/50 ball with a bone-shaking tackle.
There was a bit of a scare when Derek Prendergast was caught badly in possession and Cobh broke quickly from their own half, but just as Martin Coughlan was lining up a shot Prendergast’s blushes were saved by centre-half partner Tuite’s intervention.
A combination of heavy rain and a strong breeze started again at this point and the game’s first goal attempt followed in the 26th minute when Adam Wixted was fouled and he rolled the resulting free to Jake Hyland whose shot was deflected behind.
Prendergast got on the end of the resulting corner from Luke Heeney and sent it towards Chris Lyons, but he was flagged offside as he finished to the net from close range.
Just past the half-hour mark Drogheda finally put together a slick one-touch passing move as Kane linked up with Mark Doyle and Wixted before the eventual goal-bound shot from striker Lyons was brilliantly blocked by his namesake Charlie in the Cobh defence.
All the while, though, good play was interspersed with some sloppiness, with skipper Hyland perhaps the most guilty with some wasteful passing, and perhaps that was a theme in Clancy’s halftime team talk as Drogheda kept the ball much better in the second 45 minutes.
Straight after the restart they almost got what would have been a contender for most bizarre goal of the season as a left-footed cross from the right corner flag by Wixted evaded Lyons in the six-yard area and almost curled inside the unguarded far post, with Cobh keeper Paul Hunt completely stranded.
Thankfully Drogheda didn’t have to wait much longer for the breakthrough as James Brown lent support to the attack and fed the ball infield to Wixted. He helped it on to Lyons in a central position with his back to goal, and the diminutive striker turned sharply onto his left foot before flashing a low 20-yard shot just inside Hunt’s right-hand post.
Cobh had yet to register a goal attempt at this stage, with Odumosu well protected by his back four, but Ramblers did finally put that statistic right when Cian Leonard flashed a 25-yard effort well over the bar in the 53rd minute.
Leonard then did well to block a well-struck angled free kick from Hyland that seemed to be heading for the top corner of the Cobh net.
Entering the final quarter Clancy freshened things up a bit,
bringing on local duo Brennan and Brandon Bermingham for O’Farrell - who was on a booking - and Wixted.
Brennan immediately forced a corner from a whipped free kick, before Doyle - who was having a quiet game - latched onto a Kane throw and sent a tame shot into the arms of Hunt.
On 73 minutes Cobh finally registered a shot on target as a free kick was knocked down into the path of Coughlan whose crisp 20-yarder was well held by Odumosu.
But if the home fans had their hopes raised by that moment, the optimism immediately dissipated as Lee Devitt’s rudimentary tackle on Brown earned him a yellow card and then a red - although that decision had the assembled media scratching their heads as none of them had seen Devitt being booked earlier in the game.
In the 80th minute Hyland sliced a shot well wide from a corner kick move instigated by Brennan, but Drogheda’s next attack yielded the insurance goal even though there was some controversy about it.
Cobh claimed for a foul by Lyons on the edge of their own penalty area, but play continued and the striker was then taken down as he dribbled into the box.
Referee Oliver Moran pointed to the spot and immediately several Cobh players sprinted towards him to protest - all in vain of course.
When the dust settled, Brennan lined up the penalty and duly slotted past Hunt in such composed fashion you’d swear he was kicking the ball against the wall in his back garden.
In the closing stages 18-yearold Duleek man Bermingham was particularly effective on the right flank and Doyle rode a couple of tackles before testing Hunt from close range.
Ten-man Cobh did threaten on one occasion when Dave Hurley smashed a free kick through a crowd of bodies. However, Odumosu did well to parry the awkwardly bouncing ball before bravely diving at the feet of a Cobh player to block the follow-up shot.
The home side will no doubt wonder about a couple of decisions that went against them, but Drogheda bossed this game and were worthy winners.
A different sort of challenge awaits when one of the title favourites - Longford Town - come to town this Friday.