Josh Thomas strikes late to help Drogheda United to smash-and-grab win over close rivals Bohemians

Irish Independent

2 days ago

A training camp in Spain was arranged for Kevin Doherty and his players as some form of consolation for the misery of their European summer being replaced by a blank July.
This dramatic smash-and-grab success provided by a clinical Luke Thomas counter four minutes from time will allow the Boynesiders to believe that the dream that died might only have been delayed.
They are now just a point off second placed Bohemians, a team they have taken full points from in all three meetings this term. All by the same 1-0 scoreline, in a manner that has frustrated the life out of Alan Reynolds side.
Owning 73 per cent of the ball mattered little in the end. Instead of looking upwards at Shamrock Rovers, the Gypsies now have reason to look over their shoulders.
There is no love lost between these groups, with the prevailing memory of the last meeting being Doherty and Reynolds exchanging in pointed verbals in the backdrop of a broadcast interview.
They engaged in handshakes before the game, with the sauce coming from the other side of the pitch where home fans unfurled a banner with the words 'Never a Commodity to a Multiclub Monopoly', a dig at Drogheda's place in a network controlled by US firm Trivela – that status that ultimately denied the Louth club the chance to be doing something different this week.
The contrast in philosophies goes beyond the boardrooms, with a clash in styles on the pitch. Bohs are always likely to dominate possession when these sides meet, whereas Drogheda are adept at playing the percentages, with every throw-in a threat given their prowess in any situation that demands physical confrontation.
Their excellent record against Bohs might explain some of the enmity between the camps.
Certainly, the action on the pitch reverted to stereotypes, with Bohs on top territorially against a resolute opponent who waited for dead balls to really commit bodies but were dangerous when they did so.
Bohs did create the best chance of the first half, with a sumptuous reverse pass from Dawson Devoy finding Ross Tierney who was denied by Luke Dennison, but the Drogs had their moments too with centre halves Conor Keeley and Andrew Quinn both threatening in the aftermath of balls into the box.
ADVERTISEMENT
Learn more
The pattern continued after the restart, with Bohs shifting from side to side in search of joy with Niall Morahan's deep role allowing the creative Devoy to get forward and support front four Tierney, Connor Parsons, Dayle Rooney and central striker Colm Whelan.
But shots were blocked and lofted deliveries were snuffed out as Drogheda relished the adversity and the collisions and continued to generate anxiety on their advances forward, especially when Doherty swapped his strikers and sent Warren Davis and Thomas in off the bench to provide subtle alternatives to Dare Kareem and Thomas Oluwa.
It proved to be a significant switch. As Dalymount anger grew, with Drogheda cynically taking every timeout opportunity possible, Bohs lost a bit of their discipline.
Reynolds rotated options, but that approach came with a risk on the counter that was cruelly emphasised when the imperious Keeley anticipated a ball to Tierney and showed strength and then composure to release Thomas for his golden moment.
Bohemians: Chorazka, Byrne (Buckley 71), Cornwall (Strods 90), Flores; Rooney, Morahan, Devoy, Parsons (Brennan 78); Tierney, Clarke; Whelan (McDonnell 78).
Drogheda United: Dennison, Lambe, Bolger (Cooper 88), Keeley, Quinn, Kane; Heeney (Farrell 77), Brennan (O'Sullivan 88); Markey; Kareem (Thomas 62), Oluwa (Davis 62).