Slow death for Drogs, or an improbable survival challenge?
Credit:
So we’re eleven games in and Drogheda United are already nine points from coming out of the bottom two. Would it be inconceivable to suggest that they could record the lowest tally of points ever? Even at this early juncture it looks like their hopes of staying up are either slim or none, and it appears that the only option for Drogs fans is to grimace at the thought of yet another defeat every Friday night.
In a way, I hope this proves to be a case of the commentators curse and Mick Cooke’s side can finally bag a win against an in-form Derry City at the Brandywell tomorrow evening. The odds of that happening remain very, very slim because this is a side that have scored just six times in 11 games, while conceding 21. Plus, take into account Derry’s 7-0 win on Friday, and it could be just one in a list of long nights for Drogs.
Speaking of Cooke, must he now regret moving to a club that appeared doomed for the drop before the season even started? Monaghan are now exceeding any expectation in the First Division after Roddy Collins’ appointment, but Cooke must now be wondering if he would have been better off in the First Division this season, because, as it stands, he’s heading right back there with Drogs next year.
And while Cooke moved east in the off-season, the arrival of Declan ‘Fabio’ O’Brien at Gortakeegan has been a major hit for Mons. Despite two sendings off in four games, the former Drogs hot-shot has scored five times – six in all competitions when you add in a goal in the EA Sports Cup – and Drogs must wonder if they would be in a slightly better position with a clinical finisher like the 30 year-old.
Drogheda will need to bring in a few players of a much higher standard in July to stand any chance of surviving, and O’Brien would likely be at the top of the wanted list. Still, if Monaghan still have realistic chances of promotion, would he rather finish out the season in the First Division rather than move back to the Louth club for a couple of months, only to drop back into the second tier? I guess it might depend on how far off the pace they are in July, but they will have to win some games prior to then to keep up any legitimate hope.
It must be asked, then, if this current Drogheda side were in the First Division at the moment, where would they be? Having seen every team in the ‘graveyard’ play since the start of the season, you would have to say that Shels, Cork, Monaghan, Longford, Limerick and Waterford would all be well above Drogs. They would probably be placed somewhere between Athlone and Mervue at the moment, and that speaks for itself.
For some Drogs fans, even though it is only May, they must want to be put out of their misery already. Sadly, it doesn’t look like it will be a quick death, more a protruding and painful experience that will last until through the summer and into late autumn.
In a way, I hope this proves to be a case of the commentators curse and Mick Cooke’s side can finally bag a win against an in-form Derry City at the Brandywell tomorrow evening. The odds of that happening remain very, very slim because this is a side that have scored just six times in 11 games, while conceding 21. Plus, take into account Derry’s 7-0 win on Friday, and it could be just one in a list of long nights for Drogs.
Speaking of Cooke, must he now regret moving to a club that appeared doomed for the drop before the season even started? Monaghan are now exceeding any expectation in the First Division after Roddy Collins’ appointment, but Cooke must now be wondering if he would have been better off in the First Division this season, because, as it stands, he’s heading right back there with Drogs next year.
And while Cooke moved east in the off-season, the arrival of Declan ‘Fabio’ O’Brien at Gortakeegan has been a major hit for Mons. Despite two sendings off in four games, the former Drogs hot-shot has scored five times – six in all competitions when you add in a goal in the EA Sports Cup – and Drogs must wonder if they would be in a slightly better position with a clinical finisher like the 30 year-old.
Drogheda will need to bring in a few players of a much higher standard in July to stand any chance of surviving, and O’Brien would likely be at the top of the wanted list. Still, if Monaghan still have realistic chances of promotion, would he rather finish out the season in the First Division rather than move back to the Louth club for a couple of months, only to drop back into the second tier? I guess it might depend on how far off the pace they are in July, but they will have to win some games prior to then to keep up any legitimate hope.
It must be asked, then, if this current Drogheda side were in the First Division at the moment, where would they be? Having seen every team in the ‘graveyard’ play since the start of the season, you would have to say that Shels, Cork, Monaghan, Longford, Limerick and Waterford would all be well above Drogs. They would probably be placed somewhere between Athlone and Mervue at the moment, and that speaks for itself.
For some Drogs fans, even though it is only May, they must want to be put out of their misery already. Sadly, it doesn’t look like it will be a quick death, more a protruding and painful experience that will last until through the summer and into late autumn.
About Alan Smith
Alan Smith works as a sub-editor for the Guardian newspaper in London. Originally from Cork, he freelances for several other newspapers and websites. Follow him on twitter @alansmith90. View Full Profile