Sligo Rovers 2 - 2 Drogheda United

• Christopher Davey
• Mon, Jul 06 2009


Two strikes by Drogheda striker Shane Barrett were not enough to earn Drogheda United the three points in the Showgrounds this evening as the Boynesiders drew with Sligo Rovers in a match that finished with both sides getting two goals apiece.

Barrett got the first of his two strikes on the fifteenth minute, when Robbie Martin played him through on Sligo keeper Richard Brush. Barrett took the ball in his stride and finished the ball low with power past the Brush.

Following the Drogheda goal, Sligo edged more and more into the game, and they got their just rewards on the twentieth minute when Rafael Cretaro got his sixth league goal of the season. After a great run down the right by Romauld Boco, the Benin international crossed the ball into Cretaro's feet. Cretaro twisted and bore down on goal, and put the ball low past Paul Skinner in the Drogheda goal.

Sligo then took the lead on the thirty-seventh minute when local player and club captain Conor O'Grady got Sligo's second of the night. A Romauld Boco delivery from the right was matched by the midfielder who snuck in at the far post to meet the perfect cross with a simple nod to put the ball past Skinner.

A Drogheda counter attack yielded dividends for the side in Claret, as they earned a penalty on the stroke of half time when Danny Keohane brought down Shields on the edge the Sligo box, in what really was a silly move as any danger was covered by an onrushing Brush. Up stepped Barrett to take the spot kick, and he dragged the ball to the left of the Sligo goal, past the keeper who had guessed the right way but failed to reach the ball as it went by him.

Sligo came out for the second half determined to secure the three points, but failing in the execution of the task at hand. Within ten minutes of the resumption of play, chances fell to both new recruit Rob Turner and Owen Morrison. Both chances however were snuffed out by the Drogheda net minder.

It was to the Boynesiders, the best chance of the second half fell. On the fifty-seventh minute, goal scorer Barrett crossed the ball into the box from the left to Brian King who was completely unmarked in the Sligo area. King headed the ball straight at Brush however, when he really should have beat the 'keeper.

Sligo now have only picked up one point in their last twelve while Drogheda have extended their unbeaten run even further. Two vast differences in form for two sides who find themselves languishing in the lower end of the new ten team League of Ireland.

Sligo Rovers(4-4-2): Brush, Boco, Keane, Ventre, Keohane (Doherty, 63 mins), Morrison (Christopher Kelly, 68), Ryan, O'Grady (c), Holmes, Cretaro, Turner (Torpey, 87).

Drogheda United(4-4-2): Skinner, Ryan, Kenna, McNally (c), Clarke, King, Crowley, Chambers,Duffy, Barrett, Martin.

Referee: R Winter.

Attendance: 1700

Extratime Man of the Match: Shane Barrett.