Cork City 0 - 0 Drogheda United
Credit:
On the face of it, this might have looked to be the tie of the week in the Eircom Premier Division; Drogheda, reigning Champions, traveling south to face the FAI cup holders. But as it transpired, in a week where the former were forced into receivership while the latter exited, the most exciting event occurred off the field of play.
City will look forward to a new future under the custodianship of Tom Coughlan, with the Setanta Cup final against Glentoran to come. Drogheda, on the other hand, face uncertainty. Having spent big in recent years on the back of the expected development of a new stadium, their playing staff must now endure a 70% pay-cut.
It was a lackluster match played in front of just shy of 2400 spectators- one of the lowest home gates of the season for the Leesiders. And while both sides had chances to win the game, neither can feel hard done by with a point.
Cork had the best of the opening exchanges. Pat Sullivan executed a spectacular bicycle kick in the 5th minute, but had his effort charged down. Three minutes later, following a Danny Murphy cross, Lawrie Dudfield turned Graham Gartland inside out but the angle proved too tight for the Londoner. On the quarter-hour mark, the otherwise anonymous Timmy Kiely got on the end of an Alan O’Connor flick but his low shot trickled narrowly wide of the post, with Dudfield at full stretch.
Drogheda’s Jamie Ewings endured a nightmare performance in his sides defeat to Glentoran earlier this week and brought his form with him. He played a suicidal pass which was picked up by Alan O’Connor, and despite lunging into the striker with a sliding tackle, the ball broke to Darragh Ryan with the goal wide open. Fortunately for Ewings, the flag was raised for a dubious offside, with O’Connor needing treatment.
Drogs’ best chance of the game came with half an hour gone. Jason Tambouras got a strong head on Robinson’s corner, but Danny Murphy was on hand to head the ball round the post. Later in the half, Zayed burst clear but was denied by a sharp intervention for McNulty.
City dominated the opening phase of the second, and really ought to have taken the lead on 57 minutes. Neal Horgan and Pat Sullivan combined well on the right, with the latter whipping in an inviting cross for Darren Murphy whose header looked goal-bound until Graham Gartland got a block in on the line.
Drogheda posed little threat as the game wore on. Paul Keegan’s wayward free-kick was the closest they came to troubling McNulty.
City might have won it in the final ten minutes, but Horgan’s cross seemed to catch Dudfield by surprise as he headed wide. Despite a late push by the hosts that proved to be the final chance as the game fizzled out to a scoreless draw.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Neal Horgan, Dan Murray, Pat Sullivan, Danny Murphy; Timmy Kiely (Denis Behan 68), Joe Gamble, Darren Murphy, Darragh Ryan; Lawrie Dudfield, Alan O’Connor.
Subs not used: Gary Philpott, Eoin Forde, Gareth Cambridge, Sean Kelly.
Booked: Darren Murphy (64)
Drogheda United: Jamie Ewings; Michael Clarke, John Tambouras, Graham Gartland, Ollie Cahill; Shane Robinson, Sami Ristila, Paul Keegan, Fahrudin Kuduzovic (Shaun Williams 74); Eamon Zayed, Declan O’Brien.
Subs not used: Paul Skinner, Derek Kierans, Stephen Nolan, Gareth Whelan.
Booked: Gartland (57)
Referee: Alan Kelly.
Attendance: 2,400 (estimate)
