Boys lead the ‘Way’ in peak performance
MOLDOVA’S CALL
WAYSIDE CELTIC DROGHEDA BOYS 2 3
THE setting in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains and the weather was perfect for Drogheda Boys’ trip to Wayside Celtic on Sunday afternoon - and the result wasn’t bad either!
The game was played on the old Wayside Celtic pitch which, while tucked well in off the road, was still exposed to a chilly east wind whistling down the pitch. Drogheda started with this wind in their faces and it is a testament to their skill that they moved the ball on the ground.
Indeed, within the first three minutes the Boys had attacked down both wings, with Darren Fanning on the left and Bradley Abbedeen on the right.
Fanning was first to cut in and force the keeper into a save on the near post and then Abbedeen skipped past the opposition left-back and put the ball across the face of the goal, only for the Wayside defence to clear it away.
Drogheda were dominating the early exchanges and Adam Courtney, whose influence was to grow in the game, was pinning Wayside’s defence back with his passing into the forward areas.
However, on 15 minutes a combination of the fierce wind and a moment’s hesitation resulted in a wicked bounce which fell into the path of the onrushing Wayside forward to smash the ball high into the net.
Drogheda didn’t let this setback affect them and on 18 minutes they won a corner which was whipped in by Josef Bergin. Wayside cleared their lines, only for the ball to come back out to Bergin who drove into the penalty area and with a jink of his hips wrong-footed the keeper and calmly slotted the ball to the left corner - 1-1.
The Boynesiders had their tails up and the combination of Chris Darga and Adam Courtney in the middle was controlling the game and finding the spaces for the front players to move into.
Sean Tighe was working tirelessly at centre-forward, giving no rest to the centre-backs, but the Wayside keeper was having an inspired game as he repeatedly kept them out.
However, on 30 minutes Drogheda won yet another corner on the left, from which Cian King popped up in the six-yard box to apply the finishing touch and put the Boys ahead.
Then, with half-time approaching Abbedeen cut in from the right, kept going and with a flick of his foot put the ball past the keeper to make it 3-1.
Drogheda were to continue to dominate in the second half, but on 55 minutes Wayside pulled one back to set up a grandstand finish. However, there was no panic and without fuss Shane Campbell and Sean Collier cut out the final ball and played the Drogheda midfield back into the game.
Adam Courtney was using his sublime passing skills to turn the Wayside defence who on more than one occasion in the second half had to thank their keeper for keeping the scoreline down.
In the end it was fairly comfortable for Drogheda Boys as they picked up three valuable points on the road.
DROGHEDA BOYS: Jamie Casserly, Sean Collier, Shane Campbell, Josh Talabi, David Chrobocinski, Chris Darga, Darren Fanning, Josef Bergin, Sean Tighe, Adam Courtney, Bradley Abbedeen, Cian King.