Drogheda salvage Louth derby point after week of off-field controversy
In the build-up to his side’s first home game of the season, Dundalk manager Ciarán Kilduff hailed the Louth derby as the biggest fixture in the league.
His ballyhoo came even before Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne’s claim that she had resisted efforts by Drogheda United’s board to remove her as a co-chairperson in the aftermath of her calls for the FAI to boycott the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League fixtures with Israel later this year.
In the cloud of that story, Byrne was in attendance at Oriel Park, which was debuting its newly installed all weather pitch on Friday night. Ahead of kick off, Drogs manager Kevin Doherty admitted the noise around his club had been far from ideal, though he maintained that his players were ready and focused on the task at hand.
What transpired was an edgy and attritional contest. Dundalk looked to have shaded it through Danny Mullen’s clever, flicked finish, but just as they did in Galway on the opening night, Drogheda picked their moment to flood the box and steal a goal late on.
Kilduff’s rationale had been rooted in numbers; his argument being that four Louth derbies to 24 in Dublin mean these occasions hold more weight. On that basis, both sides will see value in a point, though full-time flares indicate the visitors will be the happier of the two.
A view of flares after Drogheda United score a late goal against Dundalk. Photograph: Inpho/Nick Elliott Statement victory for defensively solid Bohemians
For all the glory of scoring four in Sligo last Saturday, Bohemians boss Alan Reynolds will have been just as cognisant of the other side of the coin – back to back clean sheets to start the new season.
Attacking options may be plentiful at Dalymount, but this is an impressive infancy too for the new look back three of Patrick Hickey, Sam Todd and Senan Mullen. Hickey played as an attacking focal point at his previous club, Galway United, and at 6’6” he offers Bohs a new threat when he gallops forward for corners, even if he finds his creative licence revoked in open play.
It was a different kind of set-piece that settled matters at the Brandywell on Friday. Dawson Devoy’s 25-yard free kick was neatly tucked into the top corner, though debutant Edward Beach may feel his wrist could have been stronger given he got a decent hand to the ball.
Bohemians deserved their victory. Derry City had conceded the first goal in both of their previous two games, but looked more likely to give up a second than produce an equaliser.
[ Galway United earn well deserved point at ShelbourneOpens in new window ]
Full fixture list does not guarantee thrills
Galway United’s Kris Twardek celebrates scoring a goal with David Hurley. Photograph: Inpho/Laszlo Geczo
At a certain point on Friday evening, the absence of a single goal across all five concurrent League of Ireland Premier Division games was verging on phenomenal.
Adverse weather conditions had dictated that, by week three on the calendar, the season was still clearing its throat, waiting to properly introduce itself. In this, the first full complement of fixtures, it quietly announced nearly 300 minutes of goalless football.
Galway United’s Kris Twardek ended the drought, and as goal-and-bus cliches dictate, his side conceded an immediate equaliser. Shelbourne dominated the ball – best illustrated by a stark statistic that, 25 minutes in, Galway had completed just 14 accurate passes – but created little of note.
Possibly a bigger concern for Shels is the loss of their two first choice centre-halves, Paddy Barrett and Odhrán Casey, to injury. Galway will be frustrated to have surrendered their lead so softly, but there are definite positives to take from their first point of the new season.
Shamrock Rovers wave preseason goodbye
After suffering the misfortune of two postponements by waterlogging, Shamrock Rovers got their league season off the ground in Tallaght with a familiar air of inevitability.
Stephen Bradley made a triple change at 0-0 with 23 minutes to go, unleashing an intimidating battalion of Michael Noonan, Jack Byrne and Graham Burke and, in doing so, flexing an unrivalled squad depth. Noonan, who turned down a move to Bundesliga outfit TSG Hoffenheim in January, swept home the opener less than two minutes later.
On the evidence of Friday night, Rovers have another big teenage talent on their hands. Adam Brennan supplied Noonan for the opener, and then rose high at the back post to head in his team’s second. It was everything his performance deserved.
There is a reason most are predicting a sixth Hoops title in seven years. St Pat’s gave a decent account of themselves, but with so much quality in their ranks, it is hard to see anyone denying Rovers over the course of a full season.