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Date Time League Season
14 March 2022 7:45 pm LOI Men's Premier Division 2022

Match Report

McGonigle brace hands Derry win

A brace from Jamie McGonigle sent Derry City on their way to a comfortable 2-0 win over Drogheda United at The Brandywell in the League of Ireland Premier Division.

Drogheda United are still in search of their first away win of the campaign while Derry City remain undefeated.

It was Drogheda United who almost took the lead after just over two minutes on the clock, but the hosts had Brian Maher to thank for denying it.

After a sloppy opening couple of minutes for Ruadhri Higgins side , the ball fell to Dayle Rooney who unleashed a rocket off his left foot from just inside the area.

Thankfully for Derry, Brian Maher tipped the ball around the posts.

Sadly for Drogs, this was as good as it got during the first period and Derry City made the breakthrough after just four minutes.

Shane McEleney’s long ball found the lively Brandon Kavanagh on the edge of the Drogheda box. 

Kavanagh flicked the ball into the path of Jamie McGonigle who put the ball onto his left foot and buried it into the bottom corner to give his side an early advantage.

Darragh Nugent and Gary Deegan struggled in the middle of the park for Drogheda and found their pockets picked on multiple occasions by Joe Thomson and Will Patching.

The Derry duo both tried their luck at getting on the scoresheet, but their efforts from distance were saved by Long.

Midway through the first half, Will Patching’s long ball found Jamie McGonigle who cut the ball back to Danny Lafferty. Lafferty’s powerful effort looked destined for the bottom corner but somehow Sam Long saved his effort.

Derry City led 1-0 at the interval.

Drogheda began the second half with Adam Foley seeing plenty of the ball down the right hand side.

The visitors looked concentrated on focusing the ball down their right hand side to keep it away from Shane McEleney who was immense throughout the game.

Jamie McGonigle doubled his and his side’s tally just after the hour mark with another composed finish.

The Derry City danger man latched onto a long ball before rounding goalkeeper, Sam Long and slotting it into the back of the net to double the hosts’ lead.

The only negative to what was a complete domination of a performance from Derry City was the injury to Michael Duffy.

Duffy came on just after the hour mark for his first appearance for his side since rejoining the club but went off after suffering an injury less than ten minutes later.

Derry City go top of the Premier Division table after the win.

Derry City

26Brian Maher Goalkeeper
2Ronan Boyce Defender
6Eoin Toal Defender
8Joe Thomson 29 Midfielder
9Jamie McGonigle Forward 4', 63'
14Will Patching Midfielder
16Shane McEleney Defender
17Cameron McJannet Defender
20Brandon Kavanagh 7 Midfielder
23Cameron Dummigan Midfielder
24Danny Lafferty Defender 95'
Caoimhin Porter Midfielder
1Nathan Gartside Goalkeeper
3Ciaran Coll Defender
7Michael Duffy 11 Midfielder
11James Akintunde 7 Forward
17Gerard Storey Midfielder
25Evan McLaughlin Defender
29Jack Malone 8 Midfielder
38Liam Mullan Midfielder

Drogheda Utd

31Sam Long Goalkeeper
2Sean Roughan Defender
5Keith Cowan Defender 69'
7Darragh Markey 45 Midfielder
8Gary Deegan Midfielder
11Adam Foley Forward
14Dane Massey Defender
16Dayle Rooney Midfielder
17Dean Williams Forward
24Darragh Nugent 10 Midfielder
26George Poynton Midfielder
12Aaron Davis Goalkeeper
3Evan Weir Defender
4Andrew Quinn Defender
10Dylan Grimes 24 Midfielder
15Mohamed Boudiaf Defender
18Charles Mutawe Defender
22James Clarke Midfielder 84'
25Killian Cailloce Forward
45Mark Hughes 7 Midfielder
  • 90'

    Six minutes of additional time to be played.

  • 82'

    Derry seem to have taken the foot off the gas in the last ten minutes but Drogheda United are failing to capitalise.

  • 79'

    Dylan Grimes replaces Darragh Nugent

  • 74'

    Another injury for Derry as Joe Thomson goes off with Malone replacing him.

  • 71'

    James Akintunde replaces the injured Michael Duffy.

  • 69'

    Keith Cowan with a poor tackle on Michael Duffy who looks in a bad way just minutes after being introduced. Cowan becomes the first player in the book.

  • 63'

    Goal and McGonigle gets his second of the game after rounding the goalkeeper. Cool and composed finish from the Derry front man.

  • 61'

    Huge cheers from the home crowd as Michael Duffy comes on for Brandon Kavanagh for his first appearance since returning to The Candystripes.

  • 60'

    Boyce keeps the ball in well from Patching’s free kick but McJannett can’t direct his header on target.

  • 58'

    Dayle Rooney with a wild effort for Drogheda United which was never going to trouble Brian Maher in the Derry net.

  • 52'

    Drogs trying to focus play down their right hand side this half, more than likely to try and keep it away from Shane McEleney who has been unstoppable tonight.

  • 46'

    Back underway here in Derry.

  • 45'

    Half time here at The Brandywell and Derry City lead by 1-0.

  • 45'

    Two minutes of injury time remaining in the first half.

  • 43'

    Darragh Nugent with an effort from distance but his timid effort is wide of the target.

  • 38'

    Shane McEleney with an inch perfect ball into the path of Jamie McGonigle but the danger man drags his effort narrowly wide. Big let off for Drogs

  • 33'

    Derry City finding joy down the flanks through Lafferty and Boyce and are dominating possession here.

  • 24'

    Darragh Markey down injured and looking like the Drogheda danger man will need to go off here. Mark Hughes coming on to replace Markey.

  • 21'

    Danny Lafferty forces Long into a fantastic save after McGonigle’s ball found his teammate on the edge of the area. All Derry City here.

  • 19'

    Patching is next to try his luck and his effort is spilled by Long. Thankfully for Kevin Doherty’s side, his keeper gathers on the second attempt.

  • 16'

    McGonigle seems to be hungry to add to his one goal already this evening and is proving a handful for the Drogheda defence. The Candystripes dominating here early on.

  • 11'

    Derry City finding plenty of space inside the Drogheda half with the visitors playing a flat 4-4-2 formation.

  • 4'

    Kavanagh slips the ball into Jamie McGonigle and the Derry front man smashes it into the back of the net to give Derry an ideal start

  • 3'

    Rooney with a huge chance early on for the visitors with a left footed rocket from just inside the area. Brian Maher is equal to it and palms it around the post for a corner. Sloppy start from Derry City

  • 1'

    And we’re underway here at The Brandywell. Derry lining up with a back three here.

  • Both sides out on the pitch here in Derry with kick off just moments away.

  • Just under half an hour until kick off and both sides have released the starting line ups. No Chris Lyon’s in the squad for the visitors and Derry’s Patrick McEleney is also out for tonight’s game.

  • Hello and welcome to finalwhistle.ie for tonight’s Premier Division clash at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. It’s Drogheda United visiting tonight and the Louth side are in search of their first away win of the campaign. My name is Luke Delaney and I will be taking you through tonight’s action with live text commentary and updates as it happens. Team news to follow shortly.

Past Meetings

(Series 32)
1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United v Derry City

(Series 23)
3 - 0
LOI 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 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United v Derry City

(Series 5)
1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City v Drogheda United

(2nd Round)
0 - 2
FAI Cup
Weavers Park

Drogheda United v Derry City

2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC

0 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United FC v Derry City FC

4 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC

2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC

1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United FC v Derry City FC

3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC

1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United FC v Derry City FC

2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Drogheda United FC

1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United FC v Derry City FC

Ground

Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
Ryan McBride Brandywell, Derry, Northern Ireland, BT48 6NP, United Kingdom

Luke is a final year Journalism student in DCU. He is a Sports Reporter for Wicklow People Sport and FinalWhistle.ie.