League Report: Drogheda Utd 4 - 1 Dundalk

THE opening night and with it derby spoils went to Drogheda United against their close rivals Dundalk with a 4-1 destruction in United Park on Friday night.

An Eric Foley free kick had given Drogheda a half time lead before Gavin Brennan and Declan O’Brien (twice) struck to stun the Lilywhites for whom Patrick Hoban notched a consolation.

Shane Grimes won his fitness battle for Drogheda after a broken arm in the Jim Malone Cup meeting between the sides while it was also fantastic to see Gary O’Neill starting for the home side.

Brian Gartland missed out for the hosts with an ankle knock although Richie Towell and birthday boy Andy Boyle did start despite fitness concerns of their own.

There was a sizeable crowd for both sets of fans for the opening night Louth derby and it was Dundalk who almost had a dream start to the season when Towell almost rounded Micheal Schlingermann after 18 seconds but the danger was averted.

Hoban then had a cross deflect off Paul Andrews and into the side netting before Towell’s volley on six minutes was blocked and Kurtis Byrne skewed wide as the visitors looked to turn the screw early on their rivals.

Dundalk did go a season unbeaten against their rivals in the league last year with two wins and a draw but their rivals got one over on them in a controversial FAI Cup semi-final.

The first Drogs chance arrived after 22 minutes when Foley fired in an ambitious free kick with power from just outside the centre circle although for a moment it did look like it was travelling towards the corner. That was a sign of what was to come.

Dundalk replied through their Galway connection when Stephen O’Donnell sent in a low fizzing cross from the left that Daryl Horgan sent spinning narrowly wide before Towell sent the former Cork City man in again with an outstanding chip over the top.

The diminutive winger met it with a first time lob over the onrushing David Ryan, subbed on earlier for an injured Schlingermann, but it dipped down just past the post with the Dundalk fans already celebrating the goal.

Andrews then met a Gavin Brennan free kick with a superb header that brought about an even better reflex stop from Peter Cherrie and Dundalk’s first attempt on target arrived after 36 minutes with a tame Towell shot from range.

The next shot to test a ‘keeper came two minutes later and there was no keeping it out. Foley lined up a 30 yard free kick and sent it looping up and over the wall and into the back of the net with incredible accuracy and guile to give his side a half time lead against the run of play.

Whatever about that one, they certainly started the second half with more intent and took the lead after four minutes of play. Alan McNally first hit the bar with a header and in the same move, the ball found Brennan at the back post where he sent the ball looping over Cherrie and home.

Not two minutes later, it was three and the Drogs were in dreamland. A Daire Doyle strike was blocked and the loose ball fell to the best man possible as O’Brien’s predatory instincts kicked in as he swept the loose ball into the net.

O’Donnell fired one at Schlingermann while Massey and Horgan both fired off target as they looked for something to set them on the road to some sort of a recovery against an organised and intelligent outfit Robbie Horgan has put together.

However, the Lilywhites did pull one back with under half an hour remaining when Darren Meenan sent a sweet cross drifting perfectly on to the head of Hoban. If they thought that would help get them back in it, they could have done without what happened minutes later.

O’Donnell was penalised for a foul on the left and Brennan sent a delightful free kick into the danger zone where ‘Fabio’ was waiting to head home his second of the night against his former club and things worsened for Dundalk when Hoban was pulled down by the last man as he looked for another but the referee saw no infringement.

Drogheda’s danger from aerial balls was apparent all evening and they almost had another when captain Brennan popped up once more at the far post but sent his attempt up and over when he should have did better.

But the damage had already been done by Brennan (although the shine was taken off somewhat with a straight red card for a nasty tackle on O’Donnell in the closing minutes) and his teammates who put in an outstanding second half display to sweep their neighbours aside with a result few on either side would have anticipated.

Drogheda United: Micheal Schlingermann (David Ryan 12); Michael Daly, Paul Andrews, Alan McNally, Shane Grimes; Cathal Brady (Carl Walshe 73), Daire Doyle, Eric Foley, Gavin Brennan (c); Gary O’Neill, Declan O’Brien (Austin McCann 92).
Subs not used: Paul Crowley, Gavan Holohan, Philly Hughes, Ciaran McGuigan, Carl Walshe, Austin McCann.

Booked: O'Brien (46), Grimes (66), Daly (70).
Sent Off: Hughes (46), G Brennan (87)

Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Sean Gannon (John Mountney 80), Andy Boyle, Chris Shields, Dane Massey; Ruaidhri Higgins (Darren Meenan 55), Stephen O’Donnell (c), Richie Towell; Daryl Horgan, Patrick Hoban, Kurtis Byrne (David McMillan 59).
Subs not used: John Mountney, Marc Griffin, David McMillan, Mark Rossiter, Darren Meenan, Simon Kelly, Gabriel Sava.

Booked: Shields (29), O'Donnell (46), Dane Massey (75).
Sent Off: S Kelly (46).

Referee: Derek Tomney

Attendance: 2,007

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Declan O’Brien (Drogheda United)