Drogheda endure torrid afternoon in the Garden

passed to Mark Barrett who found Cathal Kelleher who lashed home to the back of the net.

But Drogheda weren’t in Aughrim to fulfil a fixture. They fully intended to play football and shortly after Kelleher’s fine effort they bagged their own goal when Eoghan Callaghan fired low past Mark Jackson.

Drogheda appeared to grow into the game after that and they added a point through Keelan O’Neill. They also added two wides and but for the defending of Eoin McTague they might have added another point.

But Wicklow saw out the half very well with points from Darragh Fitzgerald, after a mighty run having caught a poor Niall McDonnell kick out, and Ross Coogan who collected a pass from Mark Barrett after 27 minutes and fired over to make it 2-5 to 1-2 at the break.

Wicklow started the second half with lots of intent but some poor finishing combined with some fine goalkeeping from McDonnell meant that they failed to score until the fourth minute when Conor Byrne popped over a free he had won himself.

The Louth lads hit back after seven minutes and enjoyed a decent spell around this time but Wicklow were always dangerous on the counter and Conor Byrne had a shot saved by McDonnell after 10 minutes before Darragh Fitzgerald pointed to make it 2-7 to 1-3.

With Wicklow threatening to pull away they were awarded a penalty, which Ross Coogan slotted it to the back of the net to put 10 between the sides.

Further points from Conor Byrne (free) Mark Barrett, and a converted free from Mark Jackson added some gloss to the scoreline for the home side. DROGHEDA Schools: Niall McDonnell; Sam Kenny, Shane Noone, Jamie Gilkes; Marc Lugoye, Alan Connor, Noel Onianwa; Padraig Nulty, Phillip Kirwan; Graham Tully, Eoghan Callaghan, Keelan O’Neill; Scott Byrne, Conor Morgan, Jamie Doherty. Subs: Shane Hickey, Stephen McEvoy, David Andrews, Michael McArdle, Eoghan O’Carroll, Eoghan Winters. Picture: Gary O’Neill