DROGS GAVIN A LAUGH!
Brennan puts seal on vital Tolka triumph
Shelbourne………………………………. 1
Drogheda United………………………. 2
by DAIRE WALSH
GAVIN BRENNAN was the hero as his 93rd-minute finish gave Drogheda United all
three points against Shelbourne at Tolka Park last night.
Shels looked like they had earned a share of the spoils through an outstanding Conan Byrne strike after 74 minutes, but Brennan’s cross-cum-shot deceived Chris Bennion deep into stoppage time.
Both sides were missing players through suspension for this tie, as Shelbourne’s Barry Clancy and Ryan
Brennan were unavailable, with Brian Gannon out through injury.
Cathal Brady was the setting the tempo for the Louth men in the opening moments with his incisive runs down the right-hand side.
He supplied an excellent cross for Peter Hynes seven minutes into the contest but his wayward header drifted away from the target.
Drive
Things would come together very nicely for Drogheda just five minutes later though, as Brady was on hand to tap-in from six yards after Shels netminder Bennion failed to deal with Declan ‘Fabio’ O’Brien’s powerfully struck free-kick from long range.
Bennion will feel that he should have dealt better with O’Brien’s low drive towards goal, but Drogheda were full value for their lead.
Shels did respond well to falling behind, and Kevin Dawson had a decent opportunity to test Gabriel Sava from the edge of the area 16 minutes in, but it was dealt with comfortably.
As we moved towards the end of the half, and Alan Byrne, Paul Crowley and David Cassidy all found themselves in Damien Hancock’s notebook, Shels were starting to make an impact from the aerial battles.
This was most evident two minutes before the break when Stephen Paisley rose terrifically to meet a David Cassidy corner from the right, but Alan Byrne diverted the ball away to safety.
Drogheda had the better opportunities in the opening stages of the second period, as a narrow miss by Peter Hynes from a tight angle was followed up almost immediately by a cracking 30-yard free-kick from Philip Hand, which crashed off the woodwork.
Hynes was narrowly wide of the mark again on 55 minutes with a curling right-footed shot.
Shels did eventually settle back into the game and Dawson found himself in a position to test Sava just shy of the hour mark, as the Italian tipped over.
Drogheda were still maintaining a firm control on the game as the final quarter approached but, out of the blue, they saw their advantage vanish.
An intricate move involving Lorcan Fitzgerald and Philip Gorman found its way to replacement Conan Byrne 30 yards from goal, and he unleashed a shot into the top corner of the Drogs net.
Finale
This set the game up for a tantalising finale, and Drogheda would hit the woodwork for a second time through substitute Sean Brennan’s looping effort with seven minutes left.
Finally Gavin Brennan’s fortuitous effort from the left-wing caught Bennion completely by surprise and dropped into the right-hand corner of the net, to give Drogheda their best victory of the season.
SHELBOURNE: Bennion 6; Matthews 7, Paisley 7, Hurley 7, Fitzgerald 7; Cassidy 7, Sullivan 6 (Shortall 61, 6), Dawson 7, Kavanagh 6 (C Byrne 46, 7); Hughes 7, Gorman 7 (Boyle 88).
DROGHEDA UNITED: Sava 7, McMahon 7, Prendergast 7, McNally 7, Hand 7; Brady 7 (S Brennan 76, 6), Byrne 7 (Foley 80, 6), Crowley 7, G Brennan 8; O’Brien 7, Hynes 8.
REFEREE: Damien Hancock (Dublin).
ATTENDANCE: 1,131