Report: Galway United 0 - 1 Drogheda United

Drogheda United cruised to a comfortable win at Terryland Park tonight as Ollie Cahill’s clinical strike proved enough to see off a tame Galway United performance which sees them rooted to the bottom of the eircom League Premier Division.

Galway were first to have an effort on goal as early as the 2nd minute, when Mark Leech was gifted a chance as he returned from an offside position. A stray pass from Brian Shelly landed at his feet, and the striker turned sharply and curled a shot that had Jamie Ewings scrambling but clipped the top of the crossbar.

Regi Nooitmeer, still on the transfer list despite his acceptance of a reduced pay deal, galloped forward from left full soon after and got on the end of Gary Deegan’s pass. A clash of bodies as Nooitmeer entered the area saw Galway appeal for a penalty, but Alan Kelly correctly refused to sound his whistle on this occasion.

Drogheda replied with a couple of chances of their own, as Sami Ristila drifted a volley narrowly wide of the upright, before a mistake by Alan Keane gifted Guy Bates with a glorious opportunity on the edge of the area. However, his first touch was poor and the scampering Gary Rogers dived at his feet and gratefully clutched the rebound.

An entertaining opening ten minutes whetted the crowd’s appetite for a cracking game of football, but unfortunately the vitality in both teams early play seeped away as Drogheda began to control possession, but struggled to find the killer pass to unlock the home defence. James O’Shea was undoubtedly Galway’s biggest threat, providing Leech with two good crosses which the striker could only divert wide.

Ollie Cahill was Drogs most potent weapon by far, as his direct running posed Keane numerous problems down the left flank. Cahill floated in a dangerous ball on 22 minutes which Adam Hughes could only divert over the bar. Some nervy defending again presented Bates with a run on goal but his attempted cross from the left was poor.

Galway did eventually cause a measure of panic for the visitors towards the end of the half, as O’Shea wasted a chance to shoot from the right edge of the box before cutting in from the touchline and curling a left-footed shot which forced Ewings into his first save, a good one at that as he flung himself to his left to glance the ball around the post

Drogheda controlled the start of the second half and were fully deserving of the lead by the time it arrived on 56 minutes. Bates had already tested the side netting from Joe Kendrick’s ball from the left, before Cahill broke the deadlock. Galway failed to sufficiently clear a corner and Jason Gavin had oceans of space to float a ball to the back post where Ristila was unmarked and nodded a ball into the wingers path, and he made no mistake, firing a crisp volley into the bottom left corner.

Galway huffed and puffed, but never came close to creating the kind of chances that would have brought them level. The champions never had to get out of second gear, as Ristila dropped into the midfield area and left Bates to occupy the home defence. Stuart Byrne came closest to adding to the scoreboard when his shot zipped past Rogers right post.

Galway's efforts in the final 20 minutes are better left unwritten. Glynn somehow managed to rifle over from inside the six yard box and Russell had a header cleared off the line in injury time. Why Kenna's side had only realised the game was almost up and pressed forward when the fourth official raised his board to signal three minutes of added time is anybody's guess. The only crumb of comfort is that they are only one point further from safety following tonight's results. Seven points may not seem like a lot, but for this side it may as well be Mount Everest the way they are playing at present.

Galway United: Gary Rogers; Reg Nooitmeer, John Lester, John Fitzgerald, Alan Keane (Seamus Conneely 84); Jay O'Shea, Gary Deegan, John Russell, Derek O'Brien; Mark Leech, Vinny Faherty (Derek Glynn 69).
Subs not used: Alvin Rouse, Jason Molloy, Ollie Fenn.

Booked: Deegan.

Drogheda United: Jamie Ewings; Joe Kendrick, Jason Gavin, Shaun Maher, Brian Shelly (John Tambouras 83); Ollie Cahill, Stuart Byrne, Aidan O'Keefe, Adam Hughes; Guy Bates, Sami Ristila.
Subs not used: Mikko Vilmunen, Michael Clarke, David McAllister, Gareth Whelan.

Booked: Gavin, Byrne.

Referee: Alan Kelly.

Attendance: 938

Man of the Match: Ollie Cahill (Drogheda United).