Look who’s back! Brennan lines out in the NE League
MUIRHEVNAMOR 2 BOYNE HARPS 1
FORMER Drogheda United and Shamrock Rovers star Gavin Brennan made his competitive debut for Boyne Harps on Friday night but couldn’t inspire them to victory over Muirhevnamor in this action-packed NEFL Premier Division clash.
Wayne Wright’s charges were looking for all three points to carry them to the top of the table, and if this game had been a boxing match then they would have got the verdict by a wide margin.
However, a plethora of missed chances ultimately cost the Droghedagheda side dear as Muirhevamor held on for the victory that moved themem to the summit.
This was something of a Drogheda United forwards - reunion as Brennan (pictured right) lined up alongside Guy Bates, while Muirhevnmor had player/manager Tiarnann Mulvenna in their startingg line-up.
In the first half-hour Harps should have put this gameme to bed, and the flurry of chanceses started in the fifth minute when Martin Kelly swung the ball from the right and Bates flicked it on to Stephen Carter whose downheader spun narrowly wide.
Bates then went by a defender to set up a shooting chance, only to fire into the side netting with only keeper Michael Cooney to beat.
The breakthrough came in the 12th minute after a pass was played down the left towards Bates. Realising he would have been offside, Drogheda United’s title-winning hero of 2007 left the ball to his colleague Carter who spotted Cooney in no man’s land and sent a superb chip over his head from 25 yards out.
Bates then shot into the side netting in a carbon copy of his earlier opportunity, and he then turned provider with a reverse pass to Kelly who took a heavy touch and subsequently shot found the side netting once more.
Towards half-time Muirhevnamor started to get a foothold in the game and fired a couple of tame shots straight into the arms of Jason Lowney.
However, it was still against the run of play when the home side levelled in the 43rd minute.
Having won a corner kick, the set piece was headed clear by Luke McDonnell but returned with a vengeance as ex Dundalk left-back Nathan Murphy unleashed a powerful drive through a traffic jam of bodies and past a helpless Lowney.
On the restart Brennan almost fired his Harps team back intinto the lead with a firsttime timefirsttime volley thatt he skied over the bar, but it was Muirhevnamor who eedged in front on the hour hourM Mickey mark. O’Kane latlatched onto an underhit deunderhit pass between HaHarps’ centre-halves and the ball ran through to BBilly Smith who took one touch before burying a shoshot past Lowney at his near popost.
Harps rarallied in the last 10 minutes and BatesBat missed another opportunity before substitute Nathan Llewellyn drilled the ball invitingly across the six-yard box, with no takers.
On 85 minutes the home side survived loud claims for a penalty after one of their players raised his boot very high on Kevin Walsh and caught him on the head in trying to make a clearance. MUIRHEVNAMOR: Michael Cooney, Niall Hearty, Adrian Rafferty, Chris Caulfield Nathan Murphy, Colin Hoey (Paul Mallon 85), Philip Duffy (Thomas McShane 68), Ben McLaughlin (Brian Begley 70), Billy Smith (Philip Hughes 81) Tiarnan Mulvenna (Paudie Hearty 81), Mickey O’Kane.
BOYNE HARPS: Jason Lowney, Kevin Walsh, Austin McCann, Luke McDonnell, James Traynor, Martin Kelly (Nathan Llewellyn 65), Tom Reilly, Darren McCann (Mickey Leech 75), Stephen Carter (Barry Reynolds 80), Gavin Brennan, Guy Bates. Sub not used: David Woods.