Details
Date | Time | League | Season |
---|---|---|---|
6 October 2023 | 7:45 pm | LOI Men's Premier Division | 2023 |
Match Report
Derry Title Hopes Look Shattered After Drogs Stalemate
Derry City’s hopes of challenging for the title this season look to be over after a scoreless draw away to Drogheda United at Weaver’s Park this evening.
The result sees Ruaidhri Higgins’ side four points behind Shamrock Rovers with a game more played and time running out in the Premier Division season.
The result also sees Drogheda mathematically secure their spot in the top flight of Irish football for another season as they sit 13 points clear of Cork City in ninth.
In the opening 45 minutes, neither side were able to create clear cut chances, although Derry dominated the ball early on.
The first real sighter in the game was from a free-kick just outside the Drogheda box when Will Patching’s dipping shot somehow managed to stay above Andrew Wogan’s crossbar.
Inevitably, Drogheda grew into the game and were more likely to create a big chance midway through the first half.
Just as Drogheda looked like they might have a chance to score from a free-kick, Derry dealt with the set play and started their own counterattack through a lofted ball by Sadio Diallo through to Paul McMullen.
McMullen’s tame effort at goal incensed Drogheda boss Kevin Doherty, who believed the Derry winger was offside, and received a booking for his protests.
An end-to-end passage of play late in the first half looked certain to produce a goal as Derry skipper Cameron McJannet got a crucial head on a ball destined for Kyle Robinson, knocking it just out of the Drogheda strikers path.
Derry went down the other end after this near scare and almost scored as Michael Duffy found Danny Mullen’s run into the box, but Wogan got down smartly to his right to keep the sides level.
Derry started the second half playing with much more urgency, knowing that a draw would do them little to no good in the big picture of the title race.
Mullen had a host of chances to score for his side but it seemed like one of those nights for the Scottish striker, epitomised by a tame volley from just outside the six-yard box just after the break.
Sam Todd replaced his injured skipper, Cameron McJannet, and was involved immediately as he headed powerfully towards goal from a Patching free kick. Yet again, Wogan got down quickly to keep his clean sheet intact.
There was still time for drama as the clock ticked over the ninety minute mark when Conor Keeley’s two cynical fouls on substitute Cian Kavanagh saw him booked twice as Drogheda were forced to play the final few minutes with 10 men.
The game ended with frantic chances at both ends but both Derry City and Drogheda spurned chances to take home all three points as the game finished level.
The result means that Derry’s slim chances of mounting a title challenge in the final weeks of the season are well and truly finished, while Drogheda are now mathematically safe from any playoff permutations.
Timeline
9. Kyle Robinson | 10' | |
30' | 28. Adam O'Reilly | |
61' | Cameron McJannet Sam Todd | |
Kyle Robinson Luke Wade-Slater | 74' | |
74' | Danny Mullen Jamie McGonigle | |
74' | Michael Duffy Cian Kavanagh | |
Warren Davis Michael Leddy | 78' | |
78' | Adam O'Reilly Patrick McEleney | |
78' | Sadou Diallo Brandon Kavanagh | |
Adam Foley Darragh Noone | 83' | |
22. Conor Keeley | 86' | |
22. Conor Keeley | 90+2' |
Past Meetings
(Round 27)
3 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC |
(Round 14)
0 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United FC 0-1 Derry City FC |
(Round 8)
0 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City FC 0-1 Drogheda United FC |
(Round 28)
1 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United 1-1 Derry City |
(Round 20)
1 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City v Drogheda United |
(Round 11)
1 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United v Derry City |
(Round 6)
2 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City v Drogheda United |
(Series 32)
1 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United v Derry City |
(Series 23)
3 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City v Drogheda United |
(1st Round)
1 - 1 (2-4 on pens)FAI Cup
Weavers Park Drogheda United v Derry City |
(Series 14)
1 - 2LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United v Derry City |
(Series 5)
1 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City v Drogheda United |
(2nd Round)
0 - 2FAI Cup
Weavers Park Drogheda United v Derry City |
2 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC |
0 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United FC v Derry City FC |
4 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC |
2LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC |
1 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United FC v Derry City FC |
3LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC |
1LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United FC v Derry City FC |
2LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC |
1 - 1LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park Drogheda United FC v Derry City FC |
Ground
Weavers Park |
---|
United Park, Cross Lane, Fair Gate, The Borough District of Drogheda, County Louth, Leinster, A92DKR0, Ireland |
FULL TIME: Drogheda United 0-0 Derry City
Conor Keeley receives a second yellow card after dragging Cian Kavanagh to the ground. Free kick in a dangerous area.
Kavanagh gets up at the back post to head towards the goal but Wogan saves comfortably yet again.
There will be five minutes added on. This game is not over yet.
Drogheda are clinging on here, Derry know how crucial it is that they score a goal.
Conor Keeley picks up a yellow card for a cynical foul on Cian Kavanagh
McGonigle fires into the side netting after some solid hold up play
Foley comes off for Darragh Noone
Brandon Kavanagh and Patrick McEleney replace O'Reilly and Diallo. Davis comes off for Michael Leddy.
Mullen and Duffy come off for Derry and on come McGonigle and Cian Kavanagh. Luke Wade Slater comes on in place of Kyle Robinson for Drogheda.
This time it is Derry with the tidy play, Diallo doing well to create space for himself and get a shot at Wogan who saves his side again.
Tidy play from the home side ends up in a cross from Davis towards Foley, but the chance ends in a free kick for Derry as Foley arrived too late to get a shot off
Again Mullen gets on the end of a good delivery but his headed effort sails well over the bar.
Todd gets involved straight away by heading towards goal from a Patching free-kick but again Wogan gets down quickly to keep his clean sheet intact.
Sam Todd comes on to replace Derry skipper Cameron McJannet
Another chance is spurned by Derry as McMullen heads wide of the post from just outside the six-yard box.
Robinson tries his luck down the other end but his long-range shot misses the goal by inches.
Will Patching lifts the ball over the bar from range. Wogan was off his line and should have done better.
O'Reilly wins the ball back in the Drogheda half and lays off to McMullen who crosses for Mullen. It is a poor effort from the Scot, who misses the target with his tame strike.
Derry get the second half underway.
HALF TIME: Drogheda United 0-0 Derry City
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
A ball over the top set for Robinson gets a crucial touch from McJannet to take the ball away from the striker. Up the other end, Duffy crosses for Mullen whose effort is saved well down at his near post by Wogan.
Derry again with sustained pressure but again the ball into the box yields no results for them.
Drogheda are not comfortable in this game, but they certainly haven't been in danger for the majority of this first half.
Adam O'Reilly takes a heavy touch and in his attempts to regain possession, he clears out Conor Kane and receives a yellow card.
Darragh Markey does brilliantly to retrieve an errand ball outside the Derry City box and finds Adam Foley whose shot on target was to central to cause Brian Maher any issues.
Diallo tries his luck from range but the shot is straight at the keeper and Wogan saves it comfortably
A Drogheda free kick turns into a Derry attack as Diallo finds McMullen on the break and wins a corner. Kevin Doherty is furious there was no flag from the linesman and receives a yellow for his complaints.
Drogheda are growing into this game after Derry dominated the opening 15 minutes. A few decent chances on the counterattack for the home side but the final product was just lacking.
Patching shoots but it dips just over the bar
A hefty collision between Robinson and Diallo sees the Drogheda forward receive the first yellow of the game. A bit reckless from Robinson. Free kick in a dangerous area.
Patching tries to catch Wogan out but it gets deflected out for a corner which is dealt with well
O'Brien fouls Duffy out on the left wing. Dangerous area for a free kick.
Early corner for Derry City.
Drogheda get the match underway!