Post Shels match reaction

Drogheda United manager Paul Doolin was pleased with his sides 2-0 win over Shelbourne in the league cup game at Tolka Park on Monday afternoon as he spoke with extratime.ie after the game:

“It was a good win. It’s a warm day, the pitch was great, and there was some good football so I’m pleased. Delighted with the way we played.

“Probably could have had a couple more goals but we won. They’re (Shels’) a young enough side but we got the win so we’re still in it now and we’ll see what happens”

Doolin’s counterpart Dermot Keely was not overly disappointed with his side’s loss as he cited the gulf between the divisions as the reason for the result.

“I’m not too bothered about it. They are a better side, strong lads with full time training. You could see the difference.

“You could see the difference between the top of the premier and the top of the first division.”

Asked whether or not Anto Flood or any other regulars, not on show on Monday, were injured, Keely answered unequivocally, ‘no’.

“No just rested, him [Flood], Alan Keely, James Keddy, just rested.”

Shels’ tried out some youngsters in this cup tie to give them some pitch time and Max Cream and Stephen Doran were delighted with their outing:

[Cream] “It went good, I’m just trying to get out there and I’m knackered now after that! Absolutely knackered.

“They definitely deserved to win the game, we played well, we tried to work hard and everything but I think in the end and things like that played a big part.”

[Doran] “It was good to play. You can see the difference, I was playing under 21’s last season and the speed and the play up here is just something else.

“I thought at the start of the second half we started getting on top of them. But it’s a game under the belt; it can only get better from here. I’ll just keep working hard in training and see what happens.”

However it was Drog’s Michael Clarke who stole the show for the new boy’s at right back with a fine performance on his debut.

In Doolin’s own words: “young Mick Clarke made his debut today, and he did excellent.”