Drogheda Utd 2-0 Galway Utd
A goal in each half from Lee Duffy and Sean Thornton settled this SSE Airtricity League clash as Drogheda ended Galway United’s recent run of victories.
After a bright start by the Boynesiders, Galway had two good chances inside 30 seconds as Padraic Cunningham was denied by Drogs keeper Micheal Schlingermann and Enda Curran then blazed over the bar.
The lead goal came on 33 minutes when Lee Duffy ran onto a Mark Hughes pass and coolly rounded Galway keeper Conor Winn to score, and right on half-time Thornton’s free kick for the Drogs struck the crossbar.
The Tribesmen rarely threatened after the break and it was no surprise when Drogheda added to their tally on 69 minutes, Thornton thumping home after a Duffy shot was parried by Winn.
Galway United’s most famous supporter, President Michael D Higgins, was an interested spectator at United Park, having received the Freedom of Drogheda at a ceremony earlier in the day.
But after the pre-match pomp and ceremony, this game took a long time to come to life and there were 20 minutes on the clock before either side managed a shot worthy of the name.
Nineteen-year-old winger Adam Whelan was handed his full debut for Drogheda as Lee Duffy started up front and frontline strikers Daryl Kavanagh and Tiarnan Mulvenna were both left on the bench, while Enda Curran was declared fit to start alongside Padraig Cunningham in the Galway attack.
After a dull opening, Sean Brennan finally got a shot away in the 20th minute after being teed up by Duffy but was unable to test Conor Winn in the Galway goal.
That sparked an immediate response from Galway as Enda Curran’s free kick forced Micheal Schlingermann into a diving save at the other end.
But two much easier opportunities presented themselves coming up to the half-hour mark after a couple of errors in quick succession by Drogheda centre-half Robert O’Reilly.
Cunningham got the break of the ball off the youngster, and although Schlingermann was out quickly to save at close range, O’Reilly was then dispossessed by Curran who ballooned a shot over the bar.
By contrast, when Drogheda’s first clear chance arrived on 33 minutes, they made it count. The Galway back four were caughtoff guard by Mark Hughes’ pass over the top and Duffy controlled it and rounded keeper Conor Winn before rolling the ball into the empty net.
The visitors looked distinctly uncomfortable coming up to half-time and Sean Thornton was unlucky not to double Drogheda’s lead with a free kick that struck the upright.
Galway did create the first opportunity of the second half from their first corner of the match as Curran sent a low volley trundling harmlessly wide after poor defending from the home side.
But that opening apart, the Tribesmen seemed to lack ideas on how to break down a solid Drogheda rearguard and the home side wasted a gilt-edged chance on 66 minutes when a Thornton free kick found Michael Daly in the six-yard box and somehow the skipper headed over the bar when completely unmarked.
The miss was quickly forgotten, though, as Drogheda finally added to their tally in the 69th minute. Duffy turned a defender on the edge of the box and forced a fine parry from Winn, but Thornton was alert to the loose ball and took a couple of touches before lashing a low shot to the Galway net.
Drogheda United: Micheal Schlingermann; Michael Daly, Alan Byrne, Robert O’Reilly, Joe Gorman; Adam Whelan (Daryl Kavanagh 75), Mark Hughes, Sean Thornton, Jason Marks (Carl Walshe 84); Sean Brennan (Stephen Maher 83); Lee Duffy.
Subs not used: Tiarnan Mulvenna,Lloyd Buckley, Fionn Reilly, Dylan Connolly.
Galway United: Conor Winn; Cormac Rafferty (Marc Ludden 41), Paul Sinnott, Stephen Walsh, Colm Horgan; Gary Shanahan, David O’Leary, Ryan Connolly, Jake Keegan; Enda Curran (Alex Byrne 77), Padraic Cunningham (Jason Molloy 70).
Subs not used: Sam Oji, Killian Cantwell, Conor Barry, Alex Conor Gleeson.
