League Report: Cabinteely FC 0 - 0 Drogheda United

Drogheda United were left frustrated by a Cabinteely side that restricted their chances and were unfortunate themselves not to take home the points as they played out a draw under the surprising heat of a forgotten sun.

In what was to become a frantic first half, freekicks yielded half chances for both sides before Aaron Ashe forced the first save in the twelfth minute as Michael Kelly had to be alert to push the long range effort for a corner.

Drogheda were on top during the opening period of the game but didn’t create much and the tide turned on the twentieth minute with Cabinteely’s first attempt. Oliver Hamzat beat Niall Cooney to a long ball over the top but fired a hard shot straight at goalkeeper Stephen McGuinness.

This started a glutton of chances for the South Dubliners as Hamzat caused trouble with his pace and dribbling. First Ben Hanrahan curled wide after Joseph Doyle couldn’t stab home a Mark Slater cross. Slater then created an opening for Hamzat but after controlling with his chest, the former Drogheda underage player could only hit Luke Gallagher with the volley.

The Claret and Blue tried to respond under pressure and did so after Cabinteely’s latest chance, which saw a counterattack from the resulting corner. Liam Donnelly did well to chase and hold up the ball at the edge of the Cabo box before laying it off to Eoin Kirwan. The midfielder strode onto the pass but curled his attempt just over the bar.

Ben Hanrahan was next to go close after dribbling past several players although his shot was well blocked by Ken Costello.

Drogheda had three good chances to go in front five minutes before the end of the first half. Ashe started it all when he tried a half-volley after receiving the ball from a throw but Kelly was well able to save at the expense of a corner. From the resulting delivery, the cleared ball fell to Kirwan to try his luck and his effort went just over.

Then just on the stroke of halftime, Sam O’Connor won a freekick on the edge of the area with Aaron Molloy taking the responsibility of taking it. He did well to curl a shot over the wall though Michael Kelly did even better to scoop the ball out the goal with one hand to see both sides head into the break level.

It was hoped that the second half would yield as much goalmouth action as the first but it disappointed as both sides tried in vain to force an opening. Hamzat did go close in the fifty-fifth minute although he shot well wide inside the box after beating the Drogheda defence to a long ball once again.

The attacker then showed trickery just before the hour mark as he beat two players on the edge of the box before drilling across the face of the goal. Lloyd Buckley was on hand to clear before Doyle could get a touch though.

Drogheda responded by bringing on experience in the form of Sean Brennan, Sean Thornton and, later on, Marc Griffin all entering the field off the bench. This saw them slowly build more and more possession though it only yielded a half-volley from Aaron Molloy closely going over the crossbar after he raced onto a pass from Sean Brennan.

Later shots from Griffin and Ashe were easily saved while Brennan and the aforementioned Ashe would see shots blocked as Cabinteely prevented their visitors from scoring and picked up their sixth point of the season in the process. This ends a winning streak for Drogheda United as next week sees them head Shannonside.

Cabinteely: Michael Kelly; Karl Byrne (Adam Maher 82’), Lee Mitchell, Oscar Brennan, Jamie Broderick; Shane Boyle, Aaron Brilly; Mark Slater Ben Hanrahan (Stephen Hanley 80‘), Joseph Doyle; Oliver Hamzat.

Subs not used: Cathal Gillen, Andrew Wall.

Booked: Oliver Hamzat (30’), Karl Byrne (48’)

Drogheda United: Stephen McGuinness; Lloyd Buckley, Luke Gallagher, Niall Cooney, Stephen Dunne; Eoin Kirwan, Ken Costello (Sean Thornton 60’), Aaron Molloy, Aaron Ashe; Liam Donnelly (Sean Brennan 60’), Sam O’Connor (Marc Griffin 70’).

Subs not used: Derek Doyle, Jamie McGlynn, Joe Jackson, Patrick Dunican.

Booked: Brennan (61')

Referee: John McLoughlin

Attendance: 225 (estimate)

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Oscar Brennan (Cabinteely)