Drogheda United 1 - 1 Bohemians

• Emmet Maloney
• Sat, Aug 01 2009


Drogheda tasted bitter late despair against Bohemians again this season as the league leaders managed to snatch a late equaliser to grab a 1-1 draw at United Park.

James Chambers had given Drogheda a first half lead when in the 34th minute he slotted neatly beneath Murphy in the Bohs net. It looked likely to give the Drogs a desperately needed 3 points until in the 4th minute of added time the impressive half time substitute Neale Fenn took down a high ball to finish to Paul Skinner’s top left hand corner.

Joe Ndo had the first real chance of the match in the 14th minute as good interplay down the Bohs right by Anto Murphy & Jason Byrne led to Byrne whipping in a near post cross which Ndo managed to put wide from close in.

The game was yet to take any real shape and wasn’t being helped by a fussy approach by referee Doyle who certainly took a dim view of any contact between the players.

The Drogs manufactured their first clear opening in the 26th minute and should have taken the lead. As Chambers fed Brendan McGill in space on the inside right slot his far post cross was headed back across goal by Shane Barrett to McGill who took the ball down and tried to place the ball home only to see Ken Oman deflect the Drogs wingers effort from the line and wide.

The opening goal did arrive when in the 34th minute a neat ball around the corner by Brian King to Robert Clarke was returned to him, he made inroads down the outside left berth before playing the ball inside to James Chambers. Chambers took it on into the Bohs box and finished calmly with his left foot low to the keepers right.

Bohs had a chance to equalise as Anto Murphy rose well to meet a right sided corner but sent his header narrowly wide. In the last minute of the half Jason Byrne took the ball into his stride and from around 25 yards out let fly with a right foot effort, Skinner in the Drogheda goal got down to his left and beat the ball away.

Neale Fenn was introduced at half time for Paddy Madden who may have been struggling after picking up a first half knock and was to play a major role in the second period.

The Bohs game wasn’t showing any real fluency and they were looking at their most dangerous from dead ball situations. In the 54th minute Killian Brennan let fly with a well placed free kick from 20 yards only to see Skinner tip it over the bar. Byrne rose at the far post to put a header back across goal and wide from the resulting corner.

Drogheda sank deeper and deeper as the second half wore on and invited pressure from the visitors. Brennan was looking the most likely provider for Bohs and a curling left footed cross looking for Byrne missed its target but narrowly also missed the far corner of Skinners net.

Paul Keegan must have thought that he had notched Bohs opener in the 85th minute when Skinner spilt a close range effort under pressure from Fenn his attempt on goal was blocked by Kenna on the line.

Deep into injury time a succession of right sided corners finally told as a goal mouth scramble led to the ball being thrown in to the Drogheda box from the right touch line, Fenn took it down and turned in the one movement on his right foot and finished sweetly to the top right hand corner.

So honours even and Alan Matthews must be wondering what he has to do to stop Bohs scoring late goals against his team. The Drogs entertain Shamrock Rovers next whilst Pat Fenlon’s boys turn their attention to Sligo in the EA Sports Cup.

Drogheda United – P Skinner; I Ryan, R Clarke, C Kenna, A McNally; B McGill, P Shiels, J Chambers, B King; J Duffy, S Barrett (G Bates 79).

Bohemians – B Murphy; A Murphy (G Cronin 67), C Powell, B Shelley, K Oman; J Ndo, G Deegan, P Keegan, K Brennan; P Madden (N Fenn 46), J Byrne.

Referee – N Doyle (Dublin)

Attendance – 1000 est

Extratime.ie man of the match – James Chambers, lovely finish and at the heart of all the best Drogheda work.