Leinster Senior Cup Report: Drogheda United 0 - 0 Bangor Celtic (Drogs win 5-4 on penos AET)

Drogheda United beat an impressive Bangor Celtic 5-4 on penalties to seal their first victory in a Leinster Senior Cup match since 2010 and progress to the quarter final stage of the competition.

In what has been a common trend in Drogheda’s pre-season friendlies, the ball was played to Hyland from the right and he had Drogheda’s first chance of the game as he fired wide.

It was Deasy’s turn to pull the trigger next as he found space around 25 yards out after cutting in from the wing and let fly, shooting narrowly wide of Adriano Varnier’s goal.

On ten minutes, teenager Jordan Adeyemo, formerly of Shelbourne, produced a superb piece of skill before playing the ball to Hyland.

Hyland played a through ball back in to the path of Adeyemo but the winger was caught in two minds, of shooting or passing to Meaney at the far post, and ended up scuffing his effort wide of the far post.

Bangor were well in this game, having periods of possession and finding a number of openings behind the Drogheda defence.

The visitors first chance came on 25 minutes as a throw in on the left saw the ball worked to Gary Deans on the edge of the box. He found a yard of space before shooting low and straight at Skinner.

That chance really brought Bangor to life in this game as they almost opened the scoring two minutes later.

Laurence Dunne’s corner took a touch in the box and looked goalbound, only to hit the back of teammate David Kennedy, which allowed the Drogheda defence to clear the ball.

Luke Rossiter was running the show for Drogheda from the centre of midfield and his inswinging cross on the half hour mark caused as a scramble in the box after the ball was dropped by Varnier before Bangor cleared it for a corner.

It was Bangor who ended the half on top as Kennedy held the ball up in the box, played the ball to Synnott, who had made a run on the left but the midfielder couldn’t hit the target as he fired his shot high and wide of the far post.

Then, just a minute later, Bangor dispossessed Deasy and again played the ball to Synnott, who had made another run from the left wing into the box. This time he fired towards Skinner’s near post but again couldn’t keep his shot down.

Bangor began the second half as they ended the first, as they had the first two chances of the half when David Kennedy’s 25 yard strike stung the palms of Skinner before Laurence Dunne overhit an effort, hitting the ball out of the ground.

Drogheda’s best chance of the game came after 73 minutes as a corner was half cleared, the ball fell to Duffy who saw his effort blocked. The ball fell to the feet of Stephen Meaney who fired towards the far corner, forcing Adriano Varnier into making a fine save.

The game finished scoreless after normal time and so went to Extratime with Bangor again starting quick, firing an effort over the bar and then hitting an effort straight at Skinner.

It was this time Skinner’s turn to cause a brief scare for his side as Aaron Coleman’s header was dropped by the goalkeeper, leading to a corner for the visitors which was then cleared.

Skinner was called into action at the beginning of the second half of extratime as Synnott’s super cross in to the box was taken from the feet of a Bangor forward by a brilliant Gallagher tackle.

The ball then fell to the feet of an incoming Bangor player from the left who fired a low effort goalbound but was denied by a brilliant Paul Skinner save low to his right.

There would be one chance left in extra-time however, as Ciaran Kelly met Gareth McCaffrey’s free kick but his header lacked any real power and was straight at Varnier.

The game headed to penalties and was tied at 4-4 after four penalties each. Lee Duffy, Richie Purdy, Gareth McCaffrey and Stephen Meaney all found the back of the net for Drogheda from twelve yards as did Andrew Dunne, Paul Scally, Aaron Coleman and Michael Fox for Bangor.

Jordan Adeyemo stepped up next for Drogheda but failed to hit the target, as he fired his penalty wide of Varnier’s right post.  

Bangor captain Laurence Dunne stepped up with the chance to win it for his side but couldn’t find the back of the net as he hit the base of the post.

Man of the Match Luke Rossiter was next to take a penalty in sudden for Drogheda and made no mistake in slotting the ball by Varnier.

Then, having to score to keep his side in the game, Luke Synnott saw his penalty kick saved well by Paul Skinner meaning it is Drogheda who progress to the quarter-final of the Leinster Senior Cup.

Drogheda United: Paul Skinner; Colm Deasy (Ciaran Kelly 46), Sean Trimble, Luke Gallagher, Conor Kane (Leo Tang 46); Richie Purdy, Luke Rossiter, Jake Hyland (C) (Lee Duffy 66); Jordan Adeyemo, Stephen Meaney, Gareth McCaffrey.

Unused Subs: Malachy Doyle (GK), Kevin Farragher, Sean Brennan, Chris Lyons.

Booked: Luke Rossiter (82), Richie Purdy (100).

Bangor Celtic: Adriano Varnier; Marc Keeley, Cian Fadden, Paul Scally, Bamba N’Diaye; Fionn O’Tiernaigh (Michael Fox 69), Andrew Dunne, Laurence Dunne (C), Luke Synnott; Gary Deans (Ronan Byrne 69), David Kennedy (Aaron Coleman 83).

Unused Subs: Stephen Philips, Keith Mahony, Sam Howard, Stephen Conlon.

Booked: Bamba N’Diaye (81), Mark Keeley (117).

Referee: Neil Doyle.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Luke Rossiter (Drogheda United).