Josh Thomas scored the game's only goal in the first half as Drogheda United beat Cork City for the second time this season at Sullivan and Lambe Park – and maintain quest for a top four finish.
Victory over Cork handed Drogheda a major boost in their quest for European football in 2026 – and they will more than likely need Shamrock Rovers to repeat the trick at the Aviva Stadium on 9 November if they are to retain any hope of a return to continental competition.
A fourth place league finish would be enough to secure entry to the UEFA Conference League next summer, but only if Cork are defeated in the FAI Cup final.
Just one point separates Drogheda, Bohemians and St Patrick’s Athletic as the season enters its final few weeks. The Dublin sides have a game more to play, but rule nothing out yet.
Having suffered defeat to Waterford at the RSC last time out, Kevin Doherty’s side came into the game knowing more dropped points against a struggling side would almost certainly put paid to their hopes of a top four finish – and that European qualification they so crave.
A more opportune moment to face Cork City, their looming relegation finally confirmed on Monday and with an FAI Cup final to prepare for in three weeks’ time, this could not have been for Drogheda.
With nothing of consequence to play for in their remaining three league fixtures, Ger Nash chose to mix things up with five changes from Monday’s fixture.
Notable among them were the inclusion of 17-year-old former Shamrock Rovers man Brody Lee for his first start in senior football, while fellow teenager Kaedyn Kamara also started. Ex-Drogheda stopper David Odumosu continued in goal.
United gave a first league start to Jack Stretton, the well-travelled 24-year-old, in attack too. He would go close twice before Thomas made the breakthrough seconds before referee Marc Lynch blew for half-time.
Stretton flashed a header wide from Owen Lambe’s delivery and had a shot blocked at source by Cork centre-back Fiacre Kelleher. Thomas had earlier wasted a glorious opportunity to opening the scoring, but his free header in the area lacked conviction.
Mercifully for those of a Drogheda persuasion, his chance would come again and this time he made no mistake. Conor Kane delivered from the left and Thomas escaped the attentions of Charlie Lyons to power a header past Odumosu.
Cork had worked the ball well at times and found themselves in dangerous areas throughout the first half. A genuine lack of quality in the final third proved their undoing.
They hardly tested Luke Dennison and if this was an Aviva Stadium showpiece audition for some, it fell flat.
United went very close to adding a second – first through Conor Keeley’s header that was tipped over and then substitute Dare Kareem hit the base of the post with a low shot that rolled across the goalline before it was cleared.
That meant the end was more nervy than it ought to be but the home side got the job done.
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; James Bolger (George Cooper, 72), Conor Keeley, Andrew Quinn; Owen Lambe, Shane Farrell (Luke Heeney, 83), Ryan Brennan, Conor Kane; Darragh Markey; Josh Thomas (Warren Davis, 83), Jack Stretton (Dare Kareem, 67).
Cork City: David Odumosu; Rory Feely, Fiacre Kelleher, Charlie Lyons (Freddie Anderson, 46); Darragh Crowley (Joshua Fitzpatrick, 46), Sean Murray, Evan McLaughlin (Alex Nolan, 46), Matthew Kiernan; Kaedyn Kamara; Conor Drinan (Charlie Lutz, 69), Brody Lee (Charlie Hanover, 79).
Referee: Marc Lynch
