Wait for a win goes on after dour derby
DUNDALK’S wait for a first win of the season continues after they were held to a scoreless draw by 10 man Drogheda United at Oriel Park on Monday.
Stephen O’Donnell’s side were second best for most of this lunchtime Louth derby clash but were given real hope of ending their winless run when the visitors had Luke Heeney harshly sent off 20 minutes from the end.
Despite plenty of pressure after that, the hosts could find no way through meaning they have yet to score at home this season – their run of four games in-a-row without scoring is their longest drought at home since December 1965/ January 1966.
The result will pile further pressure on O’Donnell as their return of three points mirrors their start to the 1998/’99 season when it took 10 games to register a win. Dundalk were relegated at the end of that season for the first time in their history and, even at this early stage of the season, that remains the fear among their support.
While just above their county rivals in the table, Kevin Doherty will be the happier of the two managers with his side’s showing.
The first half was a largely lifeless affair with the visitors providing the only real attacking threat. Evan Weir flashed a shot across goal on three minutes but it would be the 29th minute before there was another attack of note when Zishim Bawa’s effort was blocked by Mayowa Animasahun. The rebound then broke to Jack Keaney but he could only screw his shotto the left and wide.
Deegan then blazed over from the edge of the box on 40 minutes after Ross Munro could only punch clear Weir’s free kick.
The Boynesiders’ best chance would come in stoppage time when Warren Davis broke to the end line on the left before pulling back for Adam Foley but the former Finn Harps man couldn’t direct his effort on target from eight yards out.
It was again Drogheda who were first to threaten five minutes after the restart. Darragh Markey found space on the right to cross for the inrushing Bawa but he got his angles wrong and the effort was tame and easily gathered by Munro.
Dundalk finally registered their first shot on 59 minutes and it was almost the breakthrough. Scott High’s ball over the top looked like putting Sam Durrant in. Goalkeeper Andrew Wogan raced outside his box to head clear with Robbie Benson meeting the loose ball on the half volley only to see it flash to the right and wide. Moments later High had another attempt blocked at close range inside the box. Foley then rippled the side-netting on 63 minutes with an audacious attempt on the volley from the right-hand corner of the penalty area following a header clear by John Mountney.
Animasahun then went close with a header from High’s corner six minutes later before Drogheda were reduced to 10 men on 70 minutes when Heeney tripped Durrant as he broke away from him.
From the resulting free-kick, Jamie Gullan almost caught Wogan out, with the ’keeper fortunate to gather at the second attempt after letting the initial shot slip under him.
High would go close again on 80 minutes when his cross evaded everyone and almost crept in at the back post. Ryan O’Kane then had an effort charged down by Gary Deegan.
Davies, who was booked earlier for spraying water at a Drogheda player, picked up a second yellow in the second minute of injury-time after kicking the ball in the air in frustration at a decision by referee Paul McLaughlin.
Weir did have a chance for Drogheda from a free-kick afterwards but it was straight at Munro. DUNDALK: Munro; Davies, Johnson, Animasahun, Mountney; Oostenbrink (Horgan 78), High; O’Kane, Benson, Durrant (Mahon 85); Gullan.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Wogan; Heeney, Keaney, Cann, Weir; Deegan, Gallagher; Foley (Cailloce 79), Markey, Davis (Quinn 72); Bawa (Pierrot 54).
REFEREE: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).