League Report: Cobh Ramblers 1 - 1 Drogheda United

Football returned to St. Colman’s Park for the first time this season and, on what was a surprisingly mild March Saturday night, those in attendance saw the first draw in either division this year with the 1-1 stalemate between Cobh and Drogheda.

The hosts came into the tie buoyed by a 1-0 away victory against Shelbourne while the visitors had a 2-0 win at home to Waterford United.

Sean Thornton was the difference between the two sides at the break as his 34^th minute penalty was all that separated the two sides following a half that saw little in the way of goalmouth action.

The second half was a completely different animal, with the pace upped considerably resulting in five yellow cards, a red and most importantly for the large home crowd in attendance an equalising goal from Shane O’Connor.

The game took 17 minutes to register the first shot of the game with Thornton’s cross from the left going narrowly over Paul Hunt’s crossbar.

Cory Galvin was lively for Cobh on the left wing always taking on his man but they were stuck taking long range shots on numerous occasions from brother Evan and Jason Abbott but never hitting the target, ensuring Paddy Dunican had a clean sheet at the interval.

Drogheda hit the front on 34 minutes with the penalty awarded for a poor defensive tackle. Thornton, the former Sunderland player, stepped up and fired low past the hand of Hunt into the net. This goal caused many Drogheda fans to hop the advertising hoarding and celebrate with the player.

Ramblers were lucky that Drogheda weren’t more ruthless in front of goal when just before the break, Sam O’Connor broke the offside trap but could only fire straight at Hunt.

The second half looked to be more of the same with Eoin Kirwan heading wide inside the opening minutes.

Yet the turning point came on 61 minutes when Evan Galvin crunched Thornton with a tackle that saw yellow from Simon Rogers and a bit of pushing ensued from both sides. Yet this was all Ramblers needed to claw their way back into the game.

O’Connor was running the show in the centre of the park, ably assisted by Cian Kingston and Abbott as Ramblers pressed. Their chances of an equaliser were increased on 71 minutes when Liam Donnelly, hardly on the field 30 seconds got a straight red for a tackle on Chris McCarthy.

Two minutes later the Ramblers pressure counted though as Graham McCarthy’s cross found Mylod at the back post and the left back headed it across the goal to O’Connor who headed low past Dunican from close range.

Try as they might in the closing stages against 10 men, they could not find a way past Dunican with the Drogheda ‘keeper saving superbly on 88 minutes from O’Connor as the ten men from Louth held out for a draw.

Both sides will be happy with the point they earned but they know it will be a long season ahead so will be eager to turn any draws into wins in the coming weeks ahead if they are to get their goal of the playoffs.

Cobh Ramblers: Paul Hunt; Graham McCarthy, Andy O’Connell, David Curran (Christopher McCarthy 33), Ian Mylod; Cian Kingston; Evan Galvin, Jason Abbott, Shane O’Connor, Cory Galvin (Markus Gustavsson 64); Rob Lehane.

Subs not used: Adam O’Sullivan, Anthony O’Donnell, Eoin McGreevy, Stephen Griffin, Eoghan Daly

Yellow Cards: O’Connell 57. Abbott 60, E Galvin 61

Drogheda United: Paddy Dunican; Colm Deasy, Luke Gallagher, Niall Cooney, Derek Doyle; Aaron Molloy, Aaron Ashe (Liam Donnelly 70), Jake Hyland, Sean Thornton, Eoin Kirwan (Mark Doyle 82); Sam O’Connor (Stephen Dunne 53).

Subs not used: Stephen McGuinness, Eoghan Dempsey, Joseph Jackson, Jamie McGlynn,

Yellow Cards: Ashe 62, Cooney 78

Red Cards: Donnelly 71

Referee: Simon Rogers

Attendance: 497

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Shane O’Connor (Cobh Ramblers)

You can see Steve Alfred's selection of images from the game here.