Details

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

Match Report

Williams peno the difference in Louth Derby

A Dean Williams spot kick saw Drogheda United take a massive three points from Louth rivals Dundalk at Head in the Game Park tonight.

The game could be described as a classic derby with a frantic pace and an abundance of chances. Just inside the second half Greg Sloggett brought down Darragh Nugent and Robert Hennessy pointed to the spot.

Williams tucked away the penalty calmly and the Drogs saw out the result with some gutsy, disciplined defending for the remainder.

The hosts weren’t short of elation on the final whistle and Kevin Doherty was an animated ever as Drogheda scraped out a massive result against their bitter rivals to move two points behind them.

The game was 100 miles an hour from the get go with play being broken up as frequently as expected. This scrappiness didn’t take away from the spectacle though and the contest was also interesting on the tactical front.

Drogheda set up smartly with two banks of four and looked to break by picking up on the loose ends of route 1 balls. Strangely the Lilywhites matched this long ball attack style despite playing a high line, but it nearly came off for them on numerous occasions.

The first coming ten minutes in when a diagonal pass from right back Lewis Macari broke to Pat Hoban from the Drogheda clearance and Hoban struck just wide. Only two minutes later Dean Williams went down the other side clean through on goal and took it around Nathan Shepperd  but the youngster seemed to hesitate and his effort was cleared on the line.

From here play opened up a bit and the chances flooded in as both gaffers scratched their heads to how their side hadn’t scored. Hoban scored from a John Martin cross but it was ruled out and then on the brink of the interval the visitors had their second goal line clearance this time from Dane Massey’s effort.

Right into the second-half Drogheda received a controversial penalty as Nugent went down under duress from Sloggett. William’s converted and sent the home stand into euphoria.

Dundalk probed and probed from here and the addition of Steven Bradley from the dugout gave them some incision, the youngster going close on the hour mark. From here on there was almost always 10 claret and blue men behind the ball but Drogheda still threatened through Adam Foley.

Foley had a few chances cutting in from the right wing, where on one occasion he cannoned a spectacular shot off the bar. Dundalk huffed and puffed but never found the answer and the hosts held on despite Hoban and Bradley threatening some more.

Drogheda Utd

31Sam Long Goalkeeper
2Sean Roughan Defender
3Evan Weir Defender
5Keith Cowan Defender
8Gary Deegan Midfielder
11Adam Foley Forward
14Dane Massey Defender
16Dayle Rooney Midfielder
17Dean Williams 9 Forward 48'
22James Clarke Midfielder
24Darragh Nugent Midfielder
26George Poynton 4 Midfielder
1Colin McCabe Goalkeeper
12Aaron Davis Goalkeeper
4Andrew Quinn 26 Defender
9Chris Lyons 17 Forward
10Dylan Grimes Midfielder
15Mohamed Boudiaf Defender
20Paddy Moore Forward
25Killian Cailloce Forward

Dundalk

1Nathan Sheppard Goalkeeper
2Lewis Macari 29 Defender
4Andy Boyle Defender
5Mark Connolly Defender
6Sam Bone Defender
8Robbie Benson Midfielder
9Patrick Hoban Forward
10Greg Sloggett Midfielder
11John Martin 16 Forward
19Daniel Williams 21 Midfielder
20Joe Adams 17 Midfielder
14Peter Cherrie Goalkeeper
3Brian Gartland Defender
15Darragh Leahy Defender
16Steven Bradley 11 Forward
17Keith Ward 20 Midfielder
21Paul Doyle 19 Midfielder
25Mark Hanratty Midfielder
28Ryan O’Kane Forward
29David McMillan 2 Forward
  • Full-Time in Head in the Game Park. Drogheda 1-0 Dundalk

  • 89'

    Bradley almost saves a point in spectacular fashion as he flicks it through Roughan's legs and bends a shot just wide. A header from Paul Boyle goes just wide immediately after as Dundalk continue to push

  • 88'

    Foley goes close again cutting in from the right once more, this time dragging it a whisker wide

  • 86'

    A series of corners for Dundalk has whole ground on the edge of its seat but nothing comes to fruition for the away team

  • 83'

    Hoban goes close again with a volley on the edge but long is equal to it again

  • 82'

    Poynton to make way now and Andrew Quinn will replace him

  • 80'

    George Poynton has gone down momentarily with what looks to be a cramp. The players re fuel as a result and Doherty rallies his men for the last ten

  • 75'

    15 to go and Doherty's men continue to defend with 10 men as Dundalk struggle to get through. It will Lyon's job to chase clearances down up top for the hosts

  • 68'

    Dundalk continue to probe. Benson gets down the by line and sets up Hoban in the box but a sloppy touch lets him down. Drogheda 10 behind the ball now really

  • 66'

    Goalscorer Williams is replaced by Chris Lyons for the Drogs

  • 60'

    Sub Bradley almost equalises for the visitors but his low drilled effort from the right is saved by Long

  • 58'

    Foley almost doubles the home lead with what was nearly a goal of the season contender. The former Harps man cut inside and cannoned an effort of the bar

  • 55'

    Benson involved again breaking in goal after a lovely swivel but Sean Roughan made an excellent last ditch tackle. Dundalk stepping up the intensity in attack now

  • 53'

    The Oriel Park outfit launch an attack only for Benson's effort to be saved comfortably by Long

  • 48'

    Williams tucks away the spot kick with confidence. 1-0

  • 47'

    Penalty for Drogheda under controversial circumstances. Nugent seemed to go down softly under a Greg Sloggett challenge just inside the box but the referee pointed to the spot

  • 45'

    Double change for the Lilywhites into the second period as Keith Ward and Steven Bradley replaces John Martin and Joe Adams

  • Half-Time here at Head in the Game Park and it remains 0-0

  • 43'

    John Martin with a heroic jumping clearance on the line after a Drogheda corner saw skipper Dane Massey poke the loose ball dangerously towards goal

  • 40'

    Still very even here coming up on the break and somehow the deadlock hasn't been broken. The away side have looked the slightly more dangerous but Kevin Doherty will be pleased with his side tactically

  • 35'

    A nice move from the claret and blue saw Darragh Nugent combine with Williams and then slip a pass out wide to Adam Foley who hit the side- netting from an acute angle

  • 30'

    The aerial threat of Stephen O' Donnell's side is becoming more significant and Sam Long in goal hasn't looked comfortable dealing with it thus far

  • 25'

    A warning for the Drogs after a good Dundalk move ended with a disallowed goal. Robbie Benson rode some challenges in the centre before playing it out to Joe Adams who was offside before setting up a Pat Hoban tap-in in the box

  • 20'

    Only now this game is starting to settle down a bit. Both sides had been engaging in a war of diagonal long balls and now both are starting to play on the ground a bit more

  • 14'

    A chance equally as good at the other end. Dean Williams was played through and brought it around Nathan Shepperd but he seemed to hesitate which saw his tame effort cleared on the line

  • 11'

    Brilliant chance for the Lilywhites. A route 1 ball from Lewis Macari saw John Martin anticipate the scraps. The ball then fell to Hoban on the edge who volleyed just wide

  • 9'

    A frantic first ten here. Both sides playing with lots of energy meaning play is being broken up very frequently

  • 3'

    Early half chance for Dundalk. The ball breaks dangerously from a free kick but Keith Cowan blocks well in the box. This one already seeing its share of fouls

  • 1'

    We're underway here and just one minute in the game has been stopped as a flare from the away end lands on the pitch

  • Dundalk team news: Darragh Leahy and Steven Bradley return to the bench while John Mountney remains out

  • Drogheda team news: Chris Lyons is back in the squad having been out with covid and starts on the bench. Luke Heeney and Ryan Brennan remain out and Darragh Markey joins this list following a metatarsal injury on Monday

  • The hosts can two points behind their rivals tonight with a game in hand if they are victorious. Dundalk remain undefeated to this point however

  • Con Sheehan reporting from Head in the Game Park as Drogheda United take on Dundalk in the Louth derby. Kick off is at 7:45pm

Past Meetings

(Series 35)
0 - 1
Weavers Park

Drogheda United v Dundalk

(Series 25)
1 - 2
Oriel Park

Dundalk v Drogheda United

(Series 17)
0 - 1
Weavers Park

Drogheda United v Dundalk

(Series 7)
2 - 1
Oriel Park

Dundalk v Drogheda United

3 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Oriel Park

Dundalk FC v Drogheda United FC

0 - 6
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United FC v Dundalk FC

3 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Oriel Park

Dundalk FC v Drogheda United FC

6
LOI Men's Premier Division
Oriel Park

Dundalk FC v Drogheda United FC

1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United FC v Dundalk FC

1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Oriel Park

Dundalk FC v Drogheda United FC

1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United FC v Dundalk FC

7
LOI Men's Premier Division
Oriel Park

Dundalk FC v Drogheda United FC

4 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Weavers Park

Drogheda United FC v Dundalk FC

Ground

Weavers Park
United Park, Cross Lane, Fair Gate, The Borough District of Drogheda, County Louth, Leinster, A92DKR0, Ireland

21 year old sports journalist from Drogheda. Student at Dublin City University. Drogheda United Correspondent for FinalWhistle.ie