Drogheda United boss Kevin Doherty agrees new deal until the end of 2027
Doherty led the Louth club to FAI Cup glory last November, and currently has Drogheda flying high in third place in the Premier Division, only two points adrift of leaders Shamrock Rovers.
'This has been my home for seven and a half years and I couldn't be prouder to lead this club into the exciting future we have before us,' Doherty said on Friday.
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He added: 'As I've previously said, November 10th was so far the best day of my life and that pride I felt, having the whole club and community's support, will forever stay in my heart.
'My aim now is to create more memories and give the people of Drogheda the success they deserve.'
Drogheda United CEO Rian Wogan hailed Doherty's impact since taking the manager's job in 2021 as 'exceptional'.
'He's brought stability, ambition, and belief to the club, culminating in last season's incredible FAI Cup win.
'Kevin's ambition and love for Drogheda United is infectious, and as a club with strong ties to the community, he is a leader that our fans can resonate with. We're proud to have him leading us into the next phase of our journey.'
Drogheda host second-placed Derry City in Weavers Park on Friday evening [7.45pm, LOITV].
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Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Stephen Bradley's top three players so far this year - including a Bohs star
Stephen Bradley reckons fit-again Graham Burke would have been one of the first in line for a move to the continent if the stars had aligned for the Hoops hero. Burke is fit again and is set for a major role tonight in Shamrock Rovers' bid to overturn a 1-0 Europa Conference League first-leg deficit against Kosovan outfit Ballkani. But the brilliant forward might never have worn the green and white if the recent focus by continental clubs on Irish youngsters had begun a few years earlier. Burke's first move was to Aston Villa as a teenager, but he struggled to establish himself during two spells in England, with Villa, Notts County and Preston, and he played much of his football while out on loan. That, according to Bradley, was down to a lack of appreciation for Burke's game, a style that is 'celebrated' elsewhere and that comes to the fore on big European nights. Different 'He is different. Yeah, he's totally different, Graham,' Bradley said. 'And maybe it's part of why he hasn't... why he would feel (he hasn't) fulfilled his elite potential. 'Because that type of player in England, Ireland, Scotland is a bit overlooked. We play them on the left or the right or we move them out of the centre of the pitch. 'I think on the continent, players like Graham are celebrated. When we had the chance to get him all them back, it was about building this team around him. That's why we changed the system. 'I think it's important to give players like that the freedom to go and express themselves and play.' Burke is 31 now and is likely to end his career in the League of Ireland. Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . Had European clubs taken a keener interest in the Irish game when he was a teenager, however, things might have worked out differently for the three-time capped Dubliner. 'You look now at some of the young boys that are going to the continent and you would question a lot of them in terms of type and where they're going,' said Bradley. 'With the likes of Graham, he'd thrive in those situations. 'You talk about European performances and what he's produced, I think that shows that type of game. 'So yeah, If that was happening more regularly back in the day and he was moving away, I'm sure it would have definitely been something you would have looked at.' Best players in the country Having Burke back tonight after he picked up a small knock two weeks ago in the home leg against St Joseph's could be key to Rovers' hopes of securing a play-off berth. The attacking star, according to Bradley, is among the top three players in the League of Ireland so far this season, along with teammate and close-season signing Matt Healy, and a star from arch rivals Bohemians. 'Graham's huge for us," he said. "For me, Graham, Matt Healy and Dawson Devoy have been the best players in the country this year by a country mile. 'I think if either of those three were to win Player of the Year, you'd say deservedly so. 'The key to Graham this year has been keeping him fit. And that's us managing him and him managing it as well, by talking to us and looking after himself. 'Hence the little knock he had after I'm not sure who it was at home (St Joseph's), that he didn't feel right. We shut him down for 10 days and get him right. 'But I think this year has been as good as we've seen Graham. Probably since the year that we sold him to Preston. But this year he's been brilliant, so to have him back is huge for us. 'We know, big occasions, big moments, that's what Graham thrives on. He loves that situation, he loves the big crowds, he loves the big stages. 'So him being back and available is only a positive for the team and the group.' He described some of Burke's performances last year in Europe, and against Bohemians in the league opener at the Aviva Stadium as 'unplayable.' 'Big occasions, big grounds, big crowds, pressure; Graham loves it, that's when he comes alive. And I think that's always been him,' Bradley added. 'That's always been part of Graham's beauty, that he tries in those arenas and those situations. 'Nights like (tonight) are places where Graham wants to be. His form is in a really good place. He'll play a big part in that.' We can do better Rovers will need some inspiration against a technically tricky Ballkani side. The Hoops are chasing the tie after losing 1-0 in Kosovo last week, but Bradley says there are many improvements that can be made on the first-leg performance. 'There is so much we can do better,' he said. 'They played how we felt they would play, they pressed how we felt they would press. 'The pitch was the biggest, I'm nearly sure the biggest pitch we've played on. So the spaces were there, we just didn't recognise them for a number of different reasons. 'I don't need to lecture the players, we spoke with them after. I think they know, from speaking to them as a group and individuals, they know that we were off our levels. It's up to us as a staff to understand why that happened. But we know we can't perform like we did last week, tomorrow night, and expect to win the game. I think that's quite clear. 'There were loads of little things, I can't say too much before the game but there were lots of little things that we were off it. 'And when you combine all those little things it adds up to the performance that we delivered.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .


Irish Examiner
11 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Jack Byrne left out of Rovers squad again after rumoured row with Stephen Bradley
Jack Byrne may have played his last game for Shamrock Rovers as he's been frozen out for tonight's Europa League third round second leg. Bar a brief injury-interrupted spell in Cyprus, when his former Ireland manager Mick McCarthy recruited him to APOEL, the classy midfielder has been with Rovers for the past six years. His goal as a substitute against St Joseph's helped the Hoops hurdle a Conference League round but he's not been with the squad for almost a fortnight. Chatter grew about a spat with his manager when Stephen Bradley omitted the 29-year-old from his squad for last week's trip to FK Ballkani in Kosovo. Exclusion from the initial list means Byrne is also unavailable for this second leg in which the league leaders need to overturn a 1-0 deficit. It also has financial implications as the Ireland international won't be entitled to the European bonus if his team completes the turnaround, setting up a playoff next week for league phase participation. That'll likely be against Portuguese outfit Santa Clara, who lead Larne 3-0 heading into their second leg in the Azores. Bradley is prepared to tackle this task without a player who has been integral to their revival. Byrne was central to their 2019 FAI Cup triumph and three of their four-in-a-row of titles. It's believed the row stems from Byrne taking issues with being left out of the league game against Derry City the weekend before last. Words were exchanged during a preparatory training match, in which the Dubliner was part of the back-up XI. It's only two years since Rovers rejected three bids, rising to €500,000, for their lynchpin from MLS side Charlotte. Byrne was understood to favour the switch at the time but signed a contract extension later in 2023 that expires at the end of 2026. A 12-month further option is held by his club. Bradley would only confirm that the player's absence wasn't due to injury, adamant he wouldn't be distracted ahead of a huge night at Tallaght Stadium. There is still the possibility of a reconciliation but a parting is also a possibility. Both Shelbourne and St Patrick's Athletic previously expressed interest in enlisting the midfielder and would lead the queue were to become available. Graham Burke, right, and Trevor Clarke during training. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile Initially an apprentice at Manchester City, where he played under Patrick Vieira in the development squad, Byrne had spells at Oldham Athletic and Kilmarnock before moving back home. He remains the last player to win the coveted SSE Airtricity Soccer Writers' Ireland Men's Personality of the Year. Bradley does welcome back another Irish international, Graham Burke, into the fold following an injury. 'We were off our level in the first leg,' said the Hoops boss, whose side remain 10 points clear in the Premier Division despite being held scoreless at Galway United on Sunday. 'Ballkani were used to their surface last week whereas our lads were slipping. That's not an excuse that they were, but it played a part. 'They were dangerous where we thought they would be and we were slightly off it, which can happen. 'When that's the case but you leave with a result that keeps us in the tie, you take it. One thing you can never question about our group is their character and togetherness. Hopefully there's a big crowd cheering us on.' Meanwhile, St Patrick's Athletic are in damage limitation mode in Turkey. Tammy Abraham helped himself to a 30-minute hat-trick for Besiktas in last week's first leg as Ole Gunnar Solskjær's side led 4-0 at the break before Simon Power bagged a consolation. The former Manchester United manager will rotate his squad with an eye on the playoff round next week and the start of their domestic league, aware of the chasm between the teams. 'We were too charitable by giving up goals and wanted to get off the plane feeling we'd have a chance of winning the tie,' lamented Saints boss Stephen Kenny in Istanbul. ' We restored some integrity in the second half, we want to do ourselves justice and enjoy the game. 'Besiktas will want to put on a show at home so we've to match that and stay in the game. We were too passive in the first leg and want to bring a greater physicality and intensity.' In other news, Uefa have approved Tolka Park as the venue for Shelbourne's Conference League playoff. There were fears the limited capacity of 3,500 would require a switch to Tallaght but the club have sought and been granted clearance. Joey O'Brien's side will either have a rematch against Linfield — whom they overcame in last month's Champions League opening round — or Vikingur Gøta. The Faroese hold a 2-1 advantage ahead of Thursday's second leg at Windsor Park.


Irish Independent
14 hours ago
- Irish Independent
‘We want to show our fans how we've improved' – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer issues warning to Pat's in Istanbul
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