NO DOUBTING THOMAS
Lonergan rescues a big point for UCD
NORWAY TRIP : Sligo signing Fabrice Hartmann debut in Sunday’s shock 2-1 FAI Cup first round defeat at home to Wexford when replacing Kailin Barlow in the second half.
John Russell (below) is unlikely to alter his side from the one that defeated Motherwell at home and away in the last round.
But the presence of the experienced midfielder Burton and winger Hartman offers the Bit O’Red boss options from a bench that has a large sprinkling of younger players.
Burton — who spent 14 years at Arsenal where he signed as a schoolboy at the age of six — joined Dinamo Zagreb in a six-figure deal in 2020.
He moved last week to The Showgrounds where he will spend the rest of the season.
Hartmann joined from German Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, penning a 12 month deal.
The winger (21) made his debut for RB Leipzig in 2018 and had loan spells with Paderborn and Eintracht Braunschweig in the last couple of seasons.
Hartmann has played in a number of attacking positions and will be a threat for defenders with his pace and direct dribbling style.
Sligo, who were able to fly on Ryanair flights to Wales and Scotland for their opening games in the competition have had to charter a small aircraft for the game in the south western Norwegian city as getting there by scheduled flights is time consuming and very expensive.
But the club hopes to be roared on by 100 fans, with 200 expected to travel to Sligo for the second leg on Thursday week.
All 3,800 tickets for the home leg were snapped up by Sunday evening.
LONERGAN’S priceless equaliser last night lifted UCD off the bottom of the table after 21 long weeks.
In that time, College have lost key man Liam Kerrigan to Italian side Como, Eric Yoro to Bolton and star striker Collie Whelan to a seasonending cruciate injury.
So they were due a slice of good fortune.
Andy Myler’s men have been rooted to the bottom since losing 4-2 to Drogheda on March 4.
But while they blew hot and cold here, they did enough in a late, firsthalf purple patch to capitalise and snatch the precious point.
“We knew we needed to come away with something and now we have to put as much pressure on Harps as we can,” said UCD boss Myler. “It’s always in your head that you’re down the bottom, but all of a sudden we’re not and we just have to build on that.
“We’re not trying to add up points or anything, it’s about getting a consistency of performance and trusting that the wins will come.”
Ready
UCD don’t play again until they face relegation rivals Harps at the Bowl on August 12 and Myler said: “It’s massive and we just have to be ready for it.
“Harps have pulled it out of the fire on numerous occasions in the last few years and have that know-how.
“We’ve lost and drawn games this year because we didn’t have knowhow but the learning curve is getting steeper and we’re hoping to take as much as we can from it.”
Drogheda were off to a flyer when Adam Foley put them ahead after three minutes.
He was lurking beyond the back post and had ample time to control Darragh Markey’s low ball from the opposite side of the box before beating Lorcan Healy.
UCD eventually got to grips with the game and benefitted from a tactical reshuffle midway through the firsthalf, with four at the back rather than three.
And Lonergan (18) kept up his scoring run as he bagged his third in two games — and fourth of the season — with an injury-time equaliser before the break.
Drogheda were poor dealing with a free that dropped to Dara Keane and when his deflected shot looped up, it fell perfectly for Longergan, who drove home from 12-yards.
Line
Lonergan then headed off the post early in the second-half but Drogheda were kicking themselves that they didn’t nab a winner.
Sam Tood cleared a Dean Williams shot off the line, while Lorcan Healy got fingertips to Rooney’s close-range effort at the near post.
Drogs sub Ryan Brennan was a handful late on but his best chance — a header off a Markey free-kick — zipped just over the crossbar as UCD held tight.
DROGHEDA UNITED: McCabe 6; Poynton 6, Quinn 6, Cowan 6, Massey 6; Deegan 6, Nugent 6 (Grimes 72, 5) ; Foley 7 (Noone, 72, 5), Markey 7, Rooney 6 (Brennan 64, 6); Williams 6 (Lyons 64, 5).
UCD: Healy 6; Gallagher 6, Todd 6, Osam 6; Dunne 7, Keane 6, Caffrey 7, Higgins 6 (Brennan 74, 5), Ryan 6 (Dignam 74, 5); Lonergan 7, Duffy 6 (Nolan 89, 5).
Referee: Rob Harvey.