Spot kick miss so costly as U-17s come up just short

BOHEMIANS were forced to hang on for victory as Drogheda United Under-17s staged a spirited comeback in this league encounter last Saturday.

With a spate of injuries in both the Under-19 and 17 squads, Drogs manager John Donohoe was only able to name three subs on the bench, including Pedro White who had earlier been on the bench for the Under-19s.

From the kick-off the visitors pressed the home defence and after four minutes Ben Murphy had to get down smartly at the feet of the visiting number 9.

The Drogs defence was under serious pressure for most of the half and it was no surprise when Bohs scored with a header from a corner after 12 minutes.

On 23 minutes the visitors has the ball on the home net again,

DROGHEDA UNITED BOHEMIANS 1 2

but this time it was ruled out for offside, and they had a few more chances to add to their tally.

The Drogs attacked down the left on 27 minutes and Calum Leonard was unlucky to see his shot rebound off the keeper, before Leonard shot over from a corner a minute later, but Bohs added to their lead on 33 minutes when scored from a corner which the home defence failed to clear.

The hosts came out in a much more positive frame of mind for the second half, moved the ball quickly and put the Bohs defence under pressure and 10 minutes in Jamie Fagan followed up a cross from the right and intercepted a back header to the keeper. In the ensuing scramble Leonard forced the ball over the line.

This gave the Drogs renewed confidence and they put the Bohs midfield and defence under pressure and on 76 minutes they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Gregory Akinsanya, but unfortunately Frank Cabraley’s shot came back off the post and was cleared.

From there until the final whistle the Drogs played really well and were unlucky not to come away with a least a point from what was a good sporting game. DROGHEDA UNITED: Ben Murphy, Ross Quigley (Kian Hussey), Luke Campbell, Arturs Balavins, Ross Harper, Josh Dunbar, Kyle Cosgrove (Pedro White), Frank Cabraley, Jamie Fagan (Bradley Caffrey), Gregory Akinsanya, Calum Leonard.