CLANCY FEARS EXODUS

TIM CLANCY knows an FAI Cup run for Drogheda United could come at a price – the more exposure his young team gets, the more likely his best men will be snapped up.

Midfielder William Hondermarck was the star of the show in Drogs 1-0 win over Shamrock Rovers and is only 17.

Drogheda rocked the Hoops at United Park on Friday by deservedly snatching a narrow win.

Also in contention for the First Division promotion play-off, Clancy’s charges have plenty to look forward to in the weeks ahead.

The manager (above) revealed: “I said to the players they should treat the Rovers game as an audition. Every single one of them probably have ambitions to play in the Premier Division and here was one of the big lads coming to United Park.

“I think Rovers’ top earner’s wages covers my entire budget for the year so that shows you what they were up against.

“But if someone watched the game I don’t think they would have been able to identify the Premier Division club for a large chunk.

“That’s a testament to the lads and it’s a mid-table First Division budget so it will be hard for us to hold on to players if they keep performing like that.”

Meanwhile, Stephen Bradley slammed his Rovers side for not respecting the occasion after seeing their FAI Cup hopes go up in smoke.

He fumed: “It was the only competition left that we had a realistic chance of winning, we knew that and we didn’t perform.

“We weren’t good enough, it’s as simple as that. We weren’t good enough and we didn’t respect it.

“Our fear was that we’ve had a lot of big games. But you come up here and it should be a big game, it’s the FAI Cup.”