Drogheda pile on misery for Blues

WATERFORD suffered their joint heaviest defeat in history as Drogheda United took full advantage of their hosts’ Covid-19 problems.

At the end of another eventful week for the Blues, in which they sunk to bottom and Kevin Sheedy was sacked, a confirmed infection for a player had huge consequences.

Under orders from the HSE and FAI, the club’s entire first-team squad were sent into isolation on Friday due to the volume of close contacts in the camp.

That left the Blues reliant on fielding their Under 19 team or they’d face a 3-0 forfeit.

Their youngsters – who were only allowed start training from Monday when health restrictions were relaxed – were subjected to a lesson at the RSC as they trailed 5-0 by the interval

Darragh Markey took just 16 minutes to open the scoring, Mark Doyle grabbed the second before Dane Massey notched his first for the club.

Chris Lyons then nodded in the fourth seven minutes before the break.

Lyons collected his second on the stroke of half-time from the penalty spot.

Timmy Clancy’s side slowed up after the break, taking until 15 minutes from the end to extend the lead. Massey got on the end of a move he started to smash a half-volley to the net.

With fatigue affecting Waterford’s tyros, they switched off again on 86 minutes to allow Killian Phillips tap home from close-range after a header from substitute Brandon Bermingham rebounded off the crossbar.

As Waterford’s squad are subject to a 10-day isolation, the youths will be on duty again for Saturday’s trip to high-flying Sligo Rovers. WATERFORD: K Cooke; L Oki, K Griffin, S Morrissey, C Browne; L Kervick, G O’Reilly (A Dunwoody 78), C Stringer, J Lee (P Omotosho 37); I Homoki (M Quinlan 57), J Brazil (J Maher 78).

DROGHEDA UTD: D Odumosu; K Phillips, D O’Reilly, D Massey; J Brown (C Mutawe 67), D Markey (L Heeney 71), G Deegan, J Hyland (B Bermingham 61), C Kane; M Doyle (J Clarke 61), C Lyons (J Adeyamo 61). ScORERS: Markey 16; Doyle 24; Massey 26, 75; Lyons 38, 45 (pen); Phillips 86. REFEREE: Ben Connolly (Dublin)

–JOHN FALLON