Under-19s lose heavily in cup showdown
DROGHEDA UNITED 1 DUNDALK 5 INJURIES to key players were undoubtedly a factor as Drogheda United Under-19s crumbled against neighbours Dundalk in this Enda McGuill Cup quarter-final at United Park last Saturday.
Without highly regarded quintet Stephen Meaney, Lee Partridge, captain Sean Tunney, Nathan Seery and Sean Hughes, the Boynesiders took the lead but were eventually well beaten by a classier Dundalk side.
The breakthrough arrived in the very first minute after good work by Grogan on the left forced a corner, from which Karl Fitzsimons struck a great shot to the net from 10 yards.
On 12 minutes the Drogs came close to doubling their lead when a great early right-wing cross from Sam Reilly just eluded Mark Doyle and Eoin Broughan, with the home defence in disarray.
However, as the first half progressed the visitors got a controlling grip of the game in all departments and it was no surprise when the home defence conceded a penalty which was expertly dispatched to the corner of the net by the in-form Jack O’Keefe on the 20-minute mark.
The visitors then took the lead on 38 minutes when a poor attempted pass out of defence ended with another of Dundalk’s consistent goalscorers, Carlton Ubaezuono, netting easily, and the second half was best forgotten by the Drogs as Martin Connolly’s team scored further goals on 56, 68 and 73 minutes to complete a comprehensive victory.
Ubaezuono headed a Dean Watters corner past Dylan Sweeney, O’Keefe notched number four after capitalising on a mistake at the back and Ubaezuono claimed the match-ball with his hat-trick goal after a fine counter-attack.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Dylan Sweeney, James Carroll, Craig Darcy, Emmet Carolan, Sam Reilly (Stephen Doran), Kyle Molloy (Michael McHugh), Karl Fitzsimons (Tom McCarthy), Brian Cabraley, Eoin Broughan, Conor Grogan (Gavin Taylor), Mark Doyle. Subs not used: Harry Hogan, Tom Mc Carthy, Gavin Taylor, Lee Mc Guinness, Stephen Doran, Leo Tang, Michael Mc Hugh.
DUNDALK: Matt Lyons; James Woods, Gavin Smith, Eric Whelan, Emmett Hughes; Dean Watters, Jake O Connor; Cian Flynn, Aaron Townley; Carlton Ubaezuono; Jack O’Keefe. Subs: Oisín Finn, Adam Finnegan, Scott Prendergast, Shane Gregory, Seán O’Hanlon, Shaun Whelan, Kevin Kelly, James Rice.