League Preview: Drogheda United -v- Cabinteely

 

Drogheda United come into this game after back-to-back wins against Athlone Town and Shelbourne which has seen the Boynesiders' return to second in the First Division table.

 

The Louth side defeated Shelbourne 2-0 last week, picking up just their third away win of the season. Drogheda took the lead in the first half from the spot through Sean Thornton after Jack Brady was sent off for a foul on Marc Griffin before a late Aaron Ashe strike sealed the win.

 

Speaking to droghedaunited.ie, manager Pete Mahon said, “Obviously Shels’ came flying out of the blocks but we dealt with it for the first 15 minutes and then we started to put our foot on the ball. We dominated possession throughout and unlike the Athlone game, I thought we posed a real threat on the goal. It was typical of us that it took until the last minute to get the second goal but it was fully deserved."

 

Despite being 20 points behind runaway leaders Limerick, Drogheda are a point ahead of UCD and five ahead of play-off rivals Cobh, who have both defeated Drogheda in recent weeks. Drogheda have played Cabinteely twice this season, running out 4-0 winners at United Park in April before being held to a scoreless draw at Stradbrook in May, in what Mahon says was easily his side's worst performance of the season.

 

“We were terrible that afternoon, easily our worst performance of the season. I’ve been reminding the players of that game and what happens when you don’t perform on the day. You can keep drilling it into them but in the end it all comes down to what attitude the players have when they step out on the pitch.”

 

In team news, Adam Wixted, who has returned to training, will again be forced to miss this one while new signing Richie Purdy may be available, pending registration.

 

Cabinteely, last week, lifted themselves off the foot of the First Division table with an impressive 2-0 victory over Waterford United. That win, coupled with Athlone's defeat to Limerick sees Cabo sit in seventh on 12 points, two ahead of Athlone.

 

Cabinteely have scored 16 goals in 18 league games this season, with 11 of those goals coming from the two goalscorers against Waterford, Joe Doyle and Ben Hanrahan. Doyle now has six for the season, equalling the club record, which he now shares with new Drogheda signing John McKeown while Hanrahan sits just a goal behind the pair, on five goals.

 

Cabinteely are eight points off equalling their points tally of 20 for last season and will surely be aiming to continue their improvement in the League of Ireland. Any sort of result against promotion chasing Drogheda would be a positive one for Cabinteely as they look to avoid finishing bottom of the First Division for the second year running.

 

Referee: Michael Connolly.

 

 

This will be the fourth ever meeting between the two teams, with Drogheda winning two – both at United Park – while the one draw between the two sides was at Stradbrook this season.

 

The only Cabinteely to player to score against Drogheda, Jamie McGlynn, and Cabinteely's joint all-time top scorer, John McKeown, are both currently Drogheda United players.

 

 

Drogheda United 2/9; Draw 5/1; Cabinteely 12/1.

 

 

Drogheda United 2-0 Cabinteely.

 

 

Injured: Adam Wixted.

Doubtful: Richie Purdy (pending registration).

Suspended: None.

 

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: Karl Byrne, Ollie Hamzat.

Suspended: None.