Drogs draw comfort as comeback yields point
PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins will officially open the Fleadh next Sunday just a stone’s throw from the Windmill Road and his beloved Galway’s promotion hopes now hang by a thread after events at United Park last Friday.
A share of the spoils wasn’t what Drogheda really wanted either, especially as they suddenly lie fourth in the table because other results went against them at the weekend, but in the circumstances they’d have to be reasonably happy with the result and as things stand they remain on course for the play-offs.
The Boynesiders’ situation could easily have been even more precarious position today, for they had to drag themselves back onto level terms after Galway had taken an early 2-0 lead and threatened to score several more.
With skipper Jake Hyland out because of a chest infection, the Boynesiders were missing energy and drive in midfield, while Galway had that in abundance and from the first whistle it looked only a matter of time before they made it count.
Drogs keeper Paul Skinner was forced into two saves from livewire forward Conor Barry inside the opening five minutes, and Ciaran Kelly was at full stretch to dispossess Eoin McCormack in the box after the number 11 had initially got the better of his marker.
At the other end, Chris Lyons controlled a Colm Deasy throw and unleashed a shot that was deflected over the bar by Stephen Walsh, but almost immediately a McCormack header was held by Skinner and Barry had another effort blocked by Kevin Farragher.
On 13 minutes Sean Brennan dummied his way towards a central position but then opted for a pass instead of taking the opportunity to shoot. However, moments later he did very well to chest a Conor Kane cross into the path of Luke Gallagher who saw his drive blocked by a defender.
Drogheda were just beginning to find their feet when Galway inflicted a hammer blow as Gary Shanahan muscled his way past Kane and floated in a perfect cross for McCormack who glanced a header just inside Skinner’s righthand post.
A last-ditch challenge by Farragher denied Barry a one-on-one opportunity and Robbie Williams headed wide from a free kick as Galway threatened to add to their tally, and when Kane departed with an apparent knee injury - to be replaced indirectly by 17-year-old William Hondermarck, Drogheda’s chances looked bleak.
A major reshuffle ensued, but Hondermarck didn’t hang about in terms of making his mark and a pinpoint pass with his first touch was followed by a shot in the midst of a goalmouth scramble that Galway just about survived.
When the high-pressing visitors forced an error in midfield on 27 minutes, though, a second goal ensued. Barry gathered possession, drifted into the box and hit a shot that may well have drifted wide had it not taken a slight touch off the chest of Farragher, redirecting the ball just inside Skinner’s left upright.
Whether Galway took their foot off the gas or Drogheda rallied leading up to half-time was difficult to fathom - probably a bit of both - but in any case the Boynesiders dominated that spell. They created a number of half-chances, the first of those a Richie Purdy volley that rose over the bar after Lyons had chested a Brennan free kick into his path.
A good move involving Colm Deasy, Purdy and Brennan ended with a Lee Duffy shot which Galway keeper Tadhg Ryan held at his near post, Gallagher headed wide from a corner kick and Lyons had an effort deflected wide by Walsh from a Brennan free.
Galway re-emerged for the second half and were then made to wait a number of minutes while the Drogs remained in their dressing-room getting instructions from the management team.
When play did resume the hosts started where they left off at the end of the first half. Brennan (2) and Purdy had shots at goal and Duffy ballooned over the bar before Drogheda hauled themselves back into it on 53 minutes.
Duffy collected the ball on the right side and drifted infield before sending a low ball into the path of Mark Doyle. His powerful angled drive was just too good as Ryan got a good hand on the ball but failed to prevent it creeping inside the post.
Doyle shook his fist in relief as much as anything else as his personal goal drought came to an end, and better was to come for Drogheda just four minutes later.
Purdy was brought down just outside the box, and despite a huge wall of defenders in front of him Brennan managed to curl the ball around it and beat Ryan with a perfectly placed shot - 2-2.
Drogheda almost grabbed the lead goal on 70 minutes as Gallagher took a quick free kick to Deasy and his deep cross dropped invitingly for Lyons. The striker could have hit the ball on the volley but opted to take a couple of touches before rifling a shot over the bar via a deflection.
In the final 10 minutes, though, the Boynesiders began to look tired and the influence of Galway’s full-time training regime started to tell.
Still, it was a sign of how much they’d been out-played since scoring their second goal that Barry’s deflected effort was their
first shot worthy of the name in nearly an hour.
Drogheda hearts were in mouths on 86 minutes, though, when McCormack latched onto a long ball and bore down on goal. The back-tracking Farragher did just enough to force the powerful forward into an early shot, however, and Skinner proved equal to it, making an excellent save.
The Boynesiders came again, though. Duffy, in a similar position to when he set up Doyle for the opening goal, ballooned a longrange effort over the bar from 30 yards out, and a blatant push on Doyle just outside the box went unpunished by the referee.
A foul by Alex Byrne on Lyons, though, did give the Drogs a setpiece opportunity in stoppage time. With Brennan having been substituted, Purdy took the free kick from 25 yards out and got it on target, but Ryan managed to parry the ball away to safety and it ended all square.
Drogheda will have their regrets at ‘only’ picking up a point, but they’re still six better off than Galway.
For their part, the Tribesmen will be glad to see the back of the Drogs, having coughed up 2-0 leads in both away fixtures and lost the one at home thanks to a stunning 76th-minute Brennan free kick.
Those results could well end up costing the pre-season title favourites Galway their place in the play-offs.