Drogheda back to winning ways in thriller
Drogheda United were entitled to a stumble after a strong start to the season – and three points from the previous 12 available amounted to that.
On Monday, they were on course for a disappointing home draw at Sullivan and Lambe Park before a hopeful free kick was launched into the Cork City penalty area with 93 minutes played. The ball was flicked into no man’s land, where Thomas Oluwa was brave and alert, getting his toe to the ball ahead of Tein Troost and earning a penalty.
Up stepped Ryan Brennan. The club captain, who is looking as sharp as ever this season, sent Troost the wrong way and secured a 3-2 victory that sent Drogheda back to the top of the table.
It was a fitting end to a back-and-forth game that saw the home side fall behind, get back on terms through a Shane Farrell free kick and then lead courtesy of Warren Davis’s sixth goal of the season.
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Djenairo Daniels had given Cork City a seventh-minute lead before netting again with five minutes of normal time left. The Dutch forward was drafted in as an emergency measure to cover the loss of injured pair Ruairí Keating and Seani Maguire.
These were his first two goals for the club in his fourth appearance, but he had already made an impact with two assists. His brace looked to have earned a valuable point for the newly-promoted Leesiders, but Drogheda had other ideas and the 96th-minute winner leaves their fans dreaming of a fairytale season.
Bohemians leave it late in Galway
For Bohemians, the last-gasp victories keep coming. Galway United were on the wrong end of it this time.
This wasn’t even Seán Grehan’s first injury-time winner of the season. The centre-half has been a revelation for Bohs since returning to the club on loan from Crystal Palace in February. His brace secured another important victory for manager Alan Reynolds, whose relationship with the fans has gone from sour to sweet.
Galway edged the first half, playing to their physical strengths and testing Bohs’ spine. Patrick Hickey is always a magnet for lofted balls and even when they narrowly missed him, Hickey’s presence distracted defenders.
The away side had a warning when Jeannot Esua found himself in space, but his header was straight at Kacper Chorazka.
All eyes were again on Hickey as Rob Slevin floated over a cross late in the first half and Moses Dyer stole in to turn home the opener. After an unusually wasteful evening away at St Pat’s last Friday night, the New Zealander made it eight for the season and three against Bohemians.
The visitors started the second half with more intent. A stylish move ended with James Clarke being denied well by his namesake Brendan – the veteran keeper’s first of a string of impressive parries. He couldn’t prevent a deserved equaliser on the hour though. Dayle Rooney’s clipped ball to the back post was met by Grehan, who towered above Killian Brouder to head home.
The same combination settled it. Galway’s energy levels faded as the game wore on and Bohs had several chances to grab a winner. The opportunity seemed to have passed them by, but deep into added time Grehan rose again. He went for placement over power, finding the net and sending the travelling fans wild with joy.
More interim joy for Waterford as Shelbourne rue missed chances
In his programme notes ahead of Shamrock Rovers’ game with Sligo Rovers, Rovers manager Stephen Bradley accused Shelbourne boss Damien Duff of showing him a “lack of respect” in the aftermath of a 2-2 draw between the Dublin rivals last month.
Duff, who stormed down the tunnel without shaking Bradley’s hand, will be wondering why his side showed so much respect to Pádraig Amond in the opening minutes at Tolka Park on Monday. Too often this season, the Shelbourne post-mortem seems to revolve around a soft goal – and this was another case in point.
Conan Noonan could have gone for goal from a relatively central free kick in the third minute. Instead, he clipped a pass for Amond, whose run had gone untracked. The Waterford captain’s header was well directed and ended up in the net, but Shels goalkeeper Conor Kearns will be disappointed with the concession.
Mipo Odubeko should have levelled matters later in the half, latching on to a weighted through ball from Harry Wood and bearing down on goal. Despite being Shelbourne’s top scorer this season, the 22-year-old lacks confidence in these situations, when he has time and space to consider his finish. On this occasion, he dragged it wide.
Goalkeeper Stephen McMullan, when he was tested, was in fine form for Waterford. His strong hand denied John Martin – on as a 33rdminute substitute for Jonathan Lunney – before half-time. Shelbourne, aided by substitutes Ali Coote and Tyreke Wilson, improved after the break but couldn’t make their dominance in possession count.
The match marked the end of an impressive interim tenure for Matt Lawlor. He steps aside for incoming Waterford manager John Coleman, who was in attendance in Drumcondra.
Duff and Bradley trade verbal blows
“I think since Stephen got invited down to the Dáil, he seems to think he can comment on everything at the minute,” was Damien Duff’s response to the criticism Stephen Bradley directed at him via match programme notes.
It marked an escalation in the growing tension between the two managers in recent weeks. Duff suggested his refusal to shake Bradley’s hand after their sides’ drew 2-2 last month had been in response to his opposite number’s comments before the game. Bradley had labelled Duff “a little bit emotional” for suggesting Kerr McInroy was the best player in the League of Ireland.
Rejuvenated Derry City get better of St Pat’s
The atmosphere at the Ryan McBride Brandywell on Monday night was reflective of what the form table suggests – Derry City are right in the mix.
In a first half short on opportunities, the home side were aggressive out of possession, pushing forward and disrupting any fluidity in the St Patrick’s Athletic buildup. It forced the away side to go long more often than they’d like.
St Pat’s defender Tom Grivosti gave Derry a helping hand when he played a pass to the feet of Derry’s Adam O’Reilly, who slipped in Danny Mullen for a cool finish around Joseph Anang. O’Reilly typified Derry’s performance, a constant source of energy and fight. He was a worthy recipient of the man-of-the-match award.
St Pat’s, who may feel aggrieved that Jake Mulraney’s first-half goal was ruled out for offside, pushed to equalise. However, they never really unsettled Derry, who embraced a feisty mood from the stands. St Pat’s boss Stephen Kenny may regret his decision not to start Aidan Keena, who was likely being managed as he returns to full fitness.
Shamrock Rovers move closer to the summit
Belying a run of four games without a win, Shamrock Rovers looked like a side full of confidence early on in Tallaght on Monday. – Graham Burke and Jack Byrne were the hosts’ swashbuckling architects against struggling Sligo Rovers.
Burke was electric – winning and converting a penalty on 25 minutes before teeing up Aaron Greene with an audacious dinked pass from the edge of Sligo’s penalty area. Greene’s volley back across the goalkeeper nestled in the net to make it 2-0 before half-time. It was a fitting effort to mark the veteran forward’s 100th career goal in the league.
Sligo came back into the game in the second period, with Ronan Manning and Owen Elding looking bright. The latter had a strong header cleared off the line by Pico Lopes, but John Russell’s charges never got the foothold of a deficit-halving goal. Shamrock Rovers move up to second and will have a chance to reach the summit on Friday when they host Drogheda.
