Unbeaten run ends for U17 women

DROGHEDA United’s U17 women’s side saw their unbeaten run in the EA Sports Academy league come to an end at the hands of their Bohemians counterparts in testing conditions at DIFE on Saturday morning.

There was little between the teams for most of the first period, with both defences on top.

However towards the end of the half it was Bohemians who opened the scoring from a corner when Farrelly volleyed in at the back post - the first goal keeper Kayla McMahon had conceded in more than 200 minutes of play.

Drogheda United looked the better side at the start of the second half and Emma Smith, Nya Owusu and Nicole Martin all had chances to score, but Bohs showed their quality when Gaff broke through to slot the ball past McMahon for 2-0.

The mountain that the Boynesiders now had to climb got even steeper when Sinnott’s fine strike extended Bohs’s advantage to three goals.

This group of Drogheda players just don’t give up, though, and they scored in the 62nd minute through Smith.

After that they had a couple of further chances for Megan O’Connor and Carolina Silva Mota. Had either of them gone in, it would have set up a grandstand finish, but Bohs managed to hold out and Clarke scored their fourth goal in the 86th minute to secure all three points.

There were great performances from a number of Drogheda Utd players, most notably by Emma Byrne, Abi Fitzpatrick, Ruby Broderick-Kinsella and Owusu.

The women’s U17 side’s next game is away to Shelbourne the weekend after next.

DROGHEDA UNITED: K McMahon, E Byrne, R Broderick-Kinsella, M O’Connor, N Martin, R Clavin, O Makinwa, A Kierans-Fitzpatrick, N Owusu, R Corr. Subs: L Byrne, M McLarney, E Smith, R O’Connell, C Silva Mota, R McGrath, L O’Neill, S Murray.