Drogheda United had a golden opportunity at the RSC last night to leapfrog over St. Patrick’s Athletic and take over the top-spot in the league table.
But, despite going behind to a 26th. minute goal from Declan O’Brien, Waterford United doggedly refused to surrender and were rewarded with a dramatic 90th minute equaliser from Darryl Kavanagh.
The visitors were quietly confident of taking the points but the bottom of the table Blues upped their game to match the occasion and, on more than a few occasions, all that was missing was a measure of good fortune that would have earned them a much earlier equaliser.
Drogheda opened the scoring on 26 minutes with a peach of a goal from their first corner of the game.
Shane Robinson’s shot through a crowded area was deflected out by David Breen and Stephen Bradley swung the ball in knee-high from the right for O’Brien to volley a rasping shot to the net from eight yards that gave goalkeeper Dean Delaney absolutely no chance.
The travelling fans were already celebrating as the game entered the final minute of normal time but they were silenced when a Shane Harte corner from the right was flicked on by David Breen to Kavanagh who headed home at the far post.
The visitors should have extended their lead on the half-hour but O’Brien failed to make contact in front of goal with a tantalising cross from the right by Robinson.
The Blues opened the game with a flurry of activity and, in the first three minutes, they forced two corners while Kavanagh saw his snap-shot from 15 yards shave the outside of the upright.
Eamon Zayed could well have opened Drogheda’s account in the 6th. minute when he worked hard to create space for a shot but his blockbuster from close range was straight at Delaney who did well to hold the ball even though he was knocked off his feet by the force of the drive.
Ten minutes before half-time, Vinnie Sullivan almost orchestrated an own goal off Brian Shelly but the ball ricocheted inches wide with goalkeeper Mikko Vilmunen committed to the original flight of the ball.
The in-form O’Brien almost had a second goal for Drogheda nine minutes into the second half but his skilful lob over the goalkeepers head trickled just wide of the far post.
The Blues fought desperately to get back on level terms but Paul McCarthy struck weakly at Vilmunen on 56 minutes and headed over the bar from an Alan Mulcahy free ten minutes later.
Ten minutes from the end, Robinson unleashed a powerful, low volley from a Simon Webb cross but Delaney stretched full length to steer the ball away while minutes later at the other end David Breen saw his effort from the edge of the area brush the topside of the crossbar.
