- Simon O'Gorman
- Sun, Jul 07 2013
Drogheda United and Shelbourne had to settle for a point apiece at Hunky Dorys Park on Sunday afternoon in an Airtricity Premier Division game that was played out in splendid sunshine.
Prior to this game Shelbourne were hoping that Drogheda might suffer a European hangover and within the opening two minutes that seemed a distinct possibility as the home side gifted Shels two golden opportunities.
After just thirty seconds Shels debutant striker Lee Murtagh had the ball in the Drogheda net but was flagged off-side as he rolled Sean Brennan’s square pass into the net from point blank range.
Two minutes later Brian Gannon gave away possession thirty yards out and Robert Bayly was on hand to feed Mark Leech who was only stopped by a well timed challenge from Derek Prendergast.
The game settled somewhat after that torrid beginning but Drogheda continued to be careless in possession while Shels midfielder Darren Tinnelly kept causing problems for the home side.
With clear chances becoming more rare Glenn Cronin tried one from distance on 18 minutes and was only inches away from a spectacular reward, but as the half progressed the pendulum swung back towards the home team.
Graham Rusk just failed to get a touch on Schlingermann’s long ball on 25 minutes and Ryan Brennan twice shot wide from the edge of the box as the visitors started to concede space to Drogheda’s attack. And just after the half hour Declan O’Brien won the race to Ryan Brennan’s ball over the top only to see his lob drop just outside the left hand post.
Brian Gannon hit the Shels net ten minutes from the break but was rightly flagged off-side and the remaining ten minutes of the half belonged to Drogheda.
Five minutes after the restart, Drogheda forged another good opening when Jason Marks whipped in a cross from the left corner flag and the ball was allowed to run through to Gannon, whose volley was on target but cleanly held by Lee Murphy in the Shelbourne goal.
Three minutes later the Drogs really should have been ahead when a dink over the top put both O’Brien and Rusk clean through. O’Brien was the man who took aim at the Shels goal but Murphy stood his ground and deflected the ball away.
A period of concerted pressure followed without Drogheda managing to get a final killer touch during a number of goalmouth scrambles. Shels worked their way back into the play and on 65 minutes substitute Adam Hanlon delivered a dangerous cross that Schlingermann just got to ahead of Murtagh..
Moments later Sean Brennan drove a fierce low ball across the Drogheda area for Mark Leech to touch in at the far post but the flag already signaled that the ball had gone out of play, a decision Brennan contested with some vigour. Meanwhile Drogheda broke at the other end and a Cathal Brady free found Declan O’Brien close in. His glancing header would surely have gone in had it not gone straight at Lee Murphy.
Gannon might have bagged a late winner when he ran on to O’Brien’s lay back but he fired over the bar while under pressure. Two minutes later and Schlingermann kept Drogheda in it saving superbly from Adam Hanlon after sub David Cassidy had given the ball away in central midfield.
With the minutes ebbing away both Peter Hynes and O’Brien missed a pair of openings, over-running Gavin Brennan’s low cross form the left before doing the same when Grimes whipped in another dangerous ball moments later.
Finally, in added time, Cassidy curled a free to Shelbourne’s back post where Michael Daly rose out of a pack of players to jab a header just past the post. But it was a game that lacked a decisive edge and it was perhaps fitting that it would end without a goal.
Drogheda United: Micheal Schlingermann; Michael Daly, Alan McNally, Derek Prendergast, Shane Grimes; Cathal Brady (Gavin Brennan 75), Brian Gannon, Ryan Brennan, Jason Marks (David Cassidy 75); Graham Rusk (Peter Hynes 70); Declan O’Brien.
Subs not used: Gabriel Sava, Philip Hand, Alan Byrne, Paul O’Conor.
Booked: O’Brien (45), Daly (90).
Shelbourne: Lee Murphy; Brian Shortall, Ian Ryan, Graham Gartland, Pat Flynn; Sean Brennan, Glenn Cronin, Robert Bayly (Stephen Hurley 75), Darren Tinnelly (Adam Hanlon 59); Lee Murtagh (Craig Mooney 90+3), Mark Leech.
Subs not used: Niall Burdon, Adam O’Connor, Rob Cornwall, Stephen Sheerin.
Booked: Bayly (30), Shortall (62), Flynn (80).
Referee: Dave McKeon.
Attendance: 593
Extratime Man of the Match: Derek Prendergast (Drogheda United).
