McNally’s goal is Al’ important
Bohemians 1 Drogheda United 1
A 40TH-MINUTE Alan McNally goal proved crucial in Dalymount Park last night, as Bohemians and Drogheda United played out an entertaining draw, which puts the Louth side in joint third place in the table with Shamrock Rovers.
Just when it looked like we were destined for a goalless opening period, the tie sparked into the life, with Bohs taking the lead after 38 minutes.
Ryan McEvoy drilled a low shot to the back of Gabriel Sava’s net after Keith Buckley had reacted to a loose ball from a Ward corner on the left.
This was a set-back for Drogheda but, incredibly, they managed to cancel out the Bohs advantage just two minutes later.
Drogs captain McNally smashed a right-footed effort past McNulty after the home side had failed to deal effectively with an inswinging Eric Foley set-piece.
This set things up quite nicely upon the resumption, and early replacement Paul Crowley almost gave Drogheda the lead for the first time moments after the re-start, but his curling effort flew just past the right-hand post.
Bohs’ chances of getting three points from this encounter took a major hit when the injured McNulty had to be replaced by Sexton after 54 minutes, though his counterpart Sava had to be at his best to tip a
Byrne header over the bar just four minutes later.
The tempo and intensity was starting to increase from both sides as the action moved into the final half-hour, and McNally went extremely close to grabbing his second of the night, only to see his glancing header drift wide of the target from another excellent Foley delivery.
Indeed, Foley’s pin-point accuracy from corners was beginning to pose some serious questions for the Bohs rearguard.
The Phibsboro outfit were proving to be tight and compact in defence, however, and the always reliable Evan McMillan was on hand to get his body in the way of a goal bound Sean Brennan strike with two minutes of normal time remaining.
BOHEMIANS: McNulty 7 (Sexton 55 7); Pender 7, McMillan 7, Feely 7, Byrne 8; Buckley 7, McMahon 7 (Moore 81, 6), Ward 7 (Mulcahy 65, 6), McEvoy 7; Traynor 7; Corcoran 6. Subs not used: Lopes, Moore, Wilson, Scully, Mahon.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Sava 7; Quigley 6 (Crowley 36), Prendergast 7, McNally 8, Grimes 7; Gannon 7, Foley 7, R Brennan 7, G Brennan 6; O’Brien 7 (S Brennan 69 6), Hynes 6 (Mulvenna 83). Subs not used: Hand, Mulvenna, Marshall, Trimble, Breen.
Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).
Weather: Sunny but Windy.
Attendance: 1,306.
Man Of The Match: Luke Byrne (Bohs).