- Tom O'Connor
- Mon, May 09 2016
A well deserved clean sheet victory for Martin Connolly’s Under 19s as they beat Drogheda United two nil in a wet Oriel Park on Saturday afternoon.
The team lined out with Anton Reilly partnering Eric Whelan at the heart of the home defence – Reilly has now captained the side playing in midfield, as a striker and now a central defender this season. Up front, Jack O’Keefe was drafted in as the lone front man. Keith Dalton, who was on the bench for the senior squad on Friday night, lined up on the right of midfield. However, it was his compatriot on the other wing who caused most stress to Drogheda’s defence at the start of this match. Carlton Ubaezuono almost setting up Jack O’Keefe in the opening minutes- only to be denied by an offside flag- before his dribbling run allowed Anton Reilly a strike on goal which fizzed over the bar.
A few minutes later, the skipper almost turned things against his own side with a foul on the edge of the box but Kelly saved well from Dempsey’s free kick. Meanwhile, shortly after, Donohoe defended excellently to prevent a Craven free kick earning Dundalk the game’s first goal. Indeed, Craven’s deliveries were a constant source of pressure on the Drogheda defence as Sweeney twice had to punch clear under severe pressure.
Just before the break, Keith Dalton combined with Jake O’Connor for the latter to shoot straight at the keeper. On the stroke of half time, the netminder saved well from O’Connor’s snapshot and it was goalless at the break.
The second half began with end to end attacks as Donohoe’s shot was dealt with by Ben Kelly before Dundalk broke clear and the Drogheda netminder had to show sharp reflexes to kick an O’Keefe effort clear. The home side were not to be denied for long however and in the 49th minute they took the lead. Keith Dalton slalomed through the Drogheda defence and his cutback was smartly finished to the net by the onrushing O’Keefe.
Drogheda came straight back and it took a sprawling Ben Kelly to force Doyle to shoot wide from the edge of the area, to preserve Dundalk’s slender advantage. A few minutes later, the impressive Ubaezuono linked well with O’Keefe but shot wide, while Craven’s nimble footwork set up a chance which he himself blazed over. Substitute Ebanda tried his luck from distance and brought out the best in Sweeney who flung himself to his left to divert the ball out for a corner. Unfortunately for him, his effort was in vain as Craven’s set piece was thumped to the net by the head of Eric Whelan in the 75th minute.
The final fifteen minutes played out without major incident as Drogheda failed to really trouble Kelly who commanded his area excellently all game and claimed crosses confidently. The closest any side came to a goal was in the last minute as substitutes Boyle and Kelly combined for Boyle to slip the ball just the wrong side of the post in the last minute.
Dundalk: Ben Kelly, James Rice, Emmet Hughes, Eric Whelan, Anton Reilly (c), Jake O’Connor, Dean Watters, Jake O’Connor, Keith Dalton, Carlton Ubaezuono, Jack O’Keefe.
Subs Not Used: Aaron Casey, Oisín Finn
Subs Used: Cormac Boyle, Jordi Ebanda, Jordan Kelly
Drogheda United: Dylan Sweeney, Eoghan Dempsey, Dylan Doyle, Emmett Carolan, Conor Grogan, Craig Dixon, Adam Clarke, Seá Donohoe, Mark Doyle, Shaun Bannon, Jackson Ryan
Subs Not Used: Seán Tunney, Sam Reilly
Subs Used: Craig Darcy, Brian Foley, Conor Sallinger, Aaron Kenna, Darren Kavanagh
