Drogs make point thanks to their supersub Fagan
DROGHEDA UNITED FINN HARPS 1 1
SUBSTITUTE Jamie Fagan’s late equaliser secured a valuable point for Drogheda United Under-17s as they enjoyed a very positive start to their league campaign at sunny DIFE on Saturday last.
This was a tough, physical match for the Drogs and although they were under severe pressure at times they looked well organised in defence, with Pedro White and Dylan Cowman standing up well to the pressure and keeper Ben Murphy making a number of crucial saves.
Frank Cabraley was the orchestrator of some of the home team’s best moves and on five minutes he fed Callum Leonard who shot over the bar.
On the quarter-hour Harps pressed forward well and headed over from a good position, but on 25 minutes the Drogs has perhaps their best chance of the first half when Leonard beat the Harps defence on the left and Cabraley was unlucky to see his shot go over the bar, with the keeper out of position.
Almost immediately keeper Murphy had to get down smartly at his left-hand post to prevent Harps taking the lead, and shortly after he made a great double save, with the home defence under severe pressure.
It was a great credit to the Drogs to go in 0-0 at half-time and Harps continued to put the home defence under pressure from the restart with set pieces and corners.
Still, the home side held firm until the 59th minute when the visitors from Ballybofey finally took the lead from a corner.
The Drogs fought hard to get back on level terms and Luke Campbell shot over on 77 minutes.
Eventually they got back on level terms on 85 minutes when Josh Dunbar sent over a cross from the left, Greg Akinsaya challenged the two Harps central defenders for the ball and Fagan pounced on the loose ball to hit an unstoppable shot past the Harps keeper. DROGHEDA UNITED: Ben Murphy, Ross Quigley, Tadhg King, Pedro White, Dylan Cowman, Josh Dunbar, Kyle Cosgrave (Gregory Akinsanya), Bradley Caffrey (Arturs Balavins), Kian Hussey (Jamie Fagan), Frank Cabraley, Callum Leonard (Luke Campbell). Sub not used: Evan Niven.
•Under-17s Pedro White and Josh Dunbar have been selected to represent the Leinster Football Association in a game against the Hessen FA of Germany for the Friendship Cup in the AUL Complex on Thursday week.