Drogs hunt for comfort after brave cup display
PERHAPS it was of little consolation at the final whistle, but Drogheda United can now focus solely on their promotion push following their exit from the FAI Cup on Friday night last.
It’s been a short enough run in the premier knockout competition but one that the squad can take some satisfaction from, having shown that they can put it up to two of the top flight’s leading clubs.
Dundalk and Cork City are, of course, on another level entirely, but Drogheda weren’t outclassed by either Shamrock Rovers or Waterford and their performances in both those games should give them encouragement and indeed motivation as the First Division promotion race reaches a critical phase.
The truth might be hard to swallow, but one look at the schedule for the play-offs - should the Boynesiders finish in the top four - might suggest that Drogheda are better off exiting the cup at this stage.
There are three games remaining in the regular league season, plus another six if Drogheda go all the way in the play-offs, and if you were to factor in three more gruelling Cup ties - probably against strong Premier sides, with the possibility of additional replays - then it’s surely asking too much of part-time players to keep a challenge going on two fronts.
Back to last Friday night, and having trailed 2-0 in the first half in both their last two league matches, the last thing Drogheda needed was to concede early against Premier opposition. Alas, that’s exactly what transpired.
Straight from the first whistle Waterford took control of the game, and after an optimistic and wayward early long-range effort from former international Noel Hunt the Blues struck in just the fourth minute.
There looked to be little danger when Bastien Hery collected possession 30 yards from goal, but after taking a touch the Frenchman arrowed a shot goal-wards and the ball bounced once before flying over the out-stretched hand of goalkeeper Paul Skinner and nestling in the bottom left corner of the net.
Alan Reynolds’ men looked keen to put this tie to bed early and they could have killed it stone dead inside 60 seconds after the restart as Ismail Akinade seized on a moment’s hesitation from Skinner, eventually beating him by a fraction of a second in a race for possession and shooting over the bar.
The players collided and Hunt seemed to be arguing with referee Rob Harvey, looking for a penalty kick, but that would have been harsh on Skinner who seemed to be making a genuine attempt to claim the ball.
Having survived that major scare, the Drogs settled down and indeed went on to dominate the remainder of the first half, without looking terribly threatening in front of goal.
Chris Lyons’ weak glancing header from a Luke Gallagher cross was right down the throat of Waterford keeper Niall Corbet, the striker then volleyed over from a Sean Brennan assist and Conor Kane screwed a shot wide.
Just past the half-hour came Drogheda’s best moment of the half as Lyons nutmegged Dave Webster and was blatantly wrestled to the ground as he attempted to dribble into the box.
How the Waterford man wasn’t booked is a complete mystery, but in any case Brennan rolled the free towards Richie Purdy who got a couple of favourable ricochets as he advanced into the area before hitting a shot that was deflected into the side netting.
This time it was Drogheda who wanted a penalty, claiming the ball struck the hand of a Waterford defender, but again Mr Harvey was unmoved.
Hunt, who doubles as the Blues’ assistant manager, tested Skinner with a hook shot before Corbet saved at the other end from a stinging 30-yard Brennan drive.
With time almost up in the first half, former Drog Gavan Holohan headed to the net from a free kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
At the interval manager Tim Clancy took the difficult decision to bring on Colm Deasy for young William Hondermarck, who had done little wrong in an unfamiliar forward position just behind Lyons but just hadn’t been able to get into the game.
The 20-minute period immediately after the break was a forgettable affair as Drogheda huffed and puffed but lacked quality in the final third, wasting a couple of set-piece opportunities, while Hunt was well off target with a header from Waterford’s only chance.
However, the Boynesiders should have hauled themselves level in the 65th minute following their best move of the match. It started back on the edge of their own penalty are as Luke Gallagher dispossessed former Drogs League and FAI Cup winner Paul Keegan.
He released Brennan who hit a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Lyons. Dribbling menacingly towards the box, the striker squeezed a pass in between two defenders for the advancing Mark Doyle. However, the Skerries native didn’t get enough on the ball and his glancing touch sent
it just wide of the target.
Stung into action, Waterford immediately created a great chance at the other end as Akinade went one-on-one with Skinner, but this time the keeper spread himself well and got a vital touch to keep the ball out.
Ciaran Kelly, looking to make it six goals for the season, got on the end of a Brennan free kick but could only head well wide of the target.
The sight of Akinade chasing back into his own half to halt the run of wing-back Kane told its own story, with serious questions now being asked of the Waterford defence.
Nevertheless, Dessie Hutchinson - who played for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in a League Cup tie against Bournemouth as recently as last September - was very unlucky to see his curling 30-yard shot shave the outside of the post, with Skinner well beaten.
Moments later another driving run from Lyons ended with an off-target Brennan shot, but while Drogheda were more than matching their full-time opponents at this stage, they were wasteful at times as the final ball failed to reach its target.
Talisman Brennan, who had picked up a knock in the first half and was clearly hampered by the injury, did fantastically well to last 75 minutes before being replaced by Rob Manley, having given everything for the cause.
Even then there were a couple of late scares for the visitors. A move involving Kane and Gallagher ended with a cross by substitute Colm Deasy that almost picked out the head of Doyle with a late run into the box. The number 14 was completely unmarked 10 yards out but just couldn’t rise high enough and the chance was gone.
To their immense credit, a spirited Drogheda kept pushing into stoppage time, looking for the goal that would force an extra 30 minutes, but a booking for Kane as he tumbled to the ground looking for a penalty signalled the end of their challenge.
It’s definitely not all doom and gloom though, as the Boynesiders can now give their primary goal full and undivided attention.