Drogheda United 2 - 2 Dundee United
Credit:
Dundee United came from two goals down to snatch a deserved draw against Drogheda United in United Park on Monday night.
A healthy following trekked from the Scottish east coast to the Irish equivalent to watch Craig Levine's charges. The Dundee team were a physically imposing group, but it was their smaller midfield pairing of Morgaro Gomis and Ryan McCord that caught the eye. The Tangerines pre-season has been going well with two victories so far. Drogheda had their recent good run brought to an end by Bray Wanderers on Friday night.
A fairly even opening was brought to life when Eoghan Osborne ran onto a high ball in the Dundee box. He arrived to get a touch before the challenge of Garry Kenneth made enough contact to bring him down. Paul Crowley stepped forward and placed the ball firmly to the keeper’s right, beating his dive.
Andis Shala nearly equalised for the visitors in the 25th minute as his header from Paul Dixon’s left wing cross looped narrowly Steve Williams to land on the roof of the net.
Gomis then sent McCord clear into the Drogs area and was just short as Williams came out to smother the ball with his legs.
Half time brought four subs for Drogheda and it brought immediate dividends. In the 47th minute, James Chambers was brought down as he tried to make inroads down the Dundee United right. He got up to fire in a right footed ball from the left touch line which bounced just in front of the diving Conor Grant who duly spilled the ball at the feet of Ian Ryan, who had no difficulty finding the net from a range of inches.
Another four subs followed for the Drogs in the 65th minute and Dundee United took advantage of the reorganising opposition to pull a goal back. Chambers lost the ball mid way through the visitors' half. It was quickly brought forward by the impressive Gomis and he fed substitute Damien Casalinvovo down the outside right channel. With some difficulty he managed to get around Paul Skinner at the touchline to cross to the centre. An attempted bicycle kick clearance by Ryan missed and the ball was gathered by Danny Cadamateri at the far post who eventually controlled to fire home from two yards.
David O’Connor then had an opportunity to extend the home side's lead as a cross from the right by Jamie Duffy was flicked on by William Woods to O’Connor. He cleverly feigned a right foot volley to bring the ball on to his left and let fly straight at Grant who blocked the ball away.
Dundee Utd took a firm grip on the game and equalised in the 79th minute, as Garry Kenneth rose well at the far post to meet a left sided corner, his header came back from the bar to the unattended Michael Kovacevic who controlled and blasted home to the top right hand corner.
Kenneth repeated the trick in the 86th minute but this time his header hit the post and was cleared.
So it ended honours even as Drogheda head into a local derby with Dundalk this Friday night.
Drogheda United - S Williams; S Gibb, E Osborne, C Kenna, A McNally; B McGill, P Shiels, P Crowley, B King; R Martin, G Bates.
Dundee United – C Grant; P Dixon, D Dods, G Kenneth, M Kovacevic; M Gomis, R McCord, G Cameron, J Myrie-Williams; D Cadamateri, Andis Shala (D Casalinvovo 65).
Referee – T Connolly.
Attendance – 250 est.
Man of Match – Morgaro Gomis – good touch, balance, able to carry the ball, all round the sort of player that you gladly pay to see.
A healthy following trekked from the Scottish east coast to the Irish equivalent to watch Craig Levine's charges. The Dundee team were a physically imposing group, but it was their smaller midfield pairing of Morgaro Gomis and Ryan McCord that caught the eye. The Tangerines pre-season has been going well with two victories so far. Drogheda had their recent good run brought to an end by Bray Wanderers on Friday night.
A fairly even opening was brought to life when Eoghan Osborne ran onto a high ball in the Dundee box. He arrived to get a touch before the challenge of Garry Kenneth made enough contact to bring him down. Paul Crowley stepped forward and placed the ball firmly to the keeper’s right, beating his dive.
Andis Shala nearly equalised for the visitors in the 25th minute as his header from Paul Dixon’s left wing cross looped narrowly Steve Williams to land on the roof of the net.
Gomis then sent McCord clear into the Drogs area and was just short as Williams came out to smother the ball with his legs.
Half time brought four subs for Drogheda and it brought immediate dividends. In the 47th minute, James Chambers was brought down as he tried to make inroads down the Dundee United right. He got up to fire in a right footed ball from the left touch line which bounced just in front of the diving Conor Grant who duly spilled the ball at the feet of Ian Ryan, who had no difficulty finding the net from a range of inches.
Another four subs followed for the Drogs in the 65th minute and Dundee United took advantage of the reorganising opposition to pull a goal back. Chambers lost the ball mid way through the visitors' half. It was quickly brought forward by the impressive Gomis and he fed substitute Damien Casalinvovo down the outside right channel. With some difficulty he managed to get around Paul Skinner at the touchline to cross to the centre. An attempted bicycle kick clearance by Ryan missed and the ball was gathered by Danny Cadamateri at the far post who eventually controlled to fire home from two yards.
David O’Connor then had an opportunity to extend the home side's lead as a cross from the right by Jamie Duffy was flicked on by William Woods to O’Connor. He cleverly feigned a right foot volley to bring the ball on to his left and let fly straight at Grant who blocked the ball away.
Dundee Utd took a firm grip on the game and equalised in the 79th minute, as Garry Kenneth rose well at the far post to meet a left sided corner, his header came back from the bar to the unattended Michael Kovacevic who controlled and blasted home to the top right hand corner.
Kenneth repeated the trick in the 86th minute but this time his header hit the post and was cleared.
So it ended honours even as Drogheda head into a local derby with Dundalk this Friday night.
Drogheda United - S Williams; S Gibb, E Osborne, C Kenna, A McNally; B McGill, P Shiels, P Crowley, B King; R Martin, G Bates.
Dundee United – C Grant; P Dixon, D Dods, G Kenneth, M Kovacevic; M Gomis, R McCord, G Cameron, J Myrie-Williams; D Cadamateri, Andis Shala (D Casalinvovo 65).
Referee – T Connolly.
Attendance – 250 est.
Man of Match – Morgaro Gomis – good touch, balance, able to carry the ball, all round the sort of player that you gladly pay to see.
