Brennan breaks Cork City hearts with injury time winner for Drogs

Irish Examiner

05-05-2025

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Drogheda United 3 (Shane Farrell 40, Warren Davis 63, Ryan Brennan 90+5) Cork City 2 (Djenairo Daniels 7, 85)
Ryan Brennan's injury-time penalty sent Drogheda United back top of the Premier Division as Cork City's mini-revival came unstuck.
Recently signed striker Djanairo Daniels appeared to have earned a point by grabbing his second goal with five minutes left but substitute Thomas Oluwa won the spot-kick converted by the 33-year-old veteran.
Drogheda were the pacesetters for the opening 10 games, defying their pre-season status as relegation favourites to lead the way. Those predicting their demise might have felt vindicated of late when they drew three and lost the other of a four-game sequence but the traits which attract their label of disruptors were illustrated again by recovering from an early concession to regain the winning feeling.
Cork City experienced something of a contrast of late, recovering from a five-match losing streak to bolster their points haul from seven to 12.
That pattern seemed to be continuing when they sped into an early lead in Co Louth but the only thing to continue was their habit of dropping points from winning positions.
They withstood an early barrage of pressure, including a chance for defender George Cooper which he scooped over the crossbar from six yards, to hit the front on seven minutes.
Daniels was the starter and finisher of the move, initially dropping deep to squirt his layoff wide to Kitt Nelson.
Once the Preston North End loanee dashed to the endline and squared into a congested penalty area, the ball ricocheted off Conor Kane into the path of Daniels to volley it in off the underside of the crossbar.
Douglas James-Taylor, making his first start this season, was Drogheda's equivalent up top and he was marginally late in connecting with Owen Lambe's cross, watching it agonisingly trickle wide.
City also squandered opportunities of extending their lead, notably Seán Murray hooking the ball wide when sent clear.
Drogheda's flow of deep crosses and throws into the box were dealt with by City but they contributed to their downfall for the equaliser five minutes before the break.
Nelson descended from the architect of the opener to gifting a window for the equaliser by miscontrolling the ball near in his own box. In his haste to redeem himself, he barged into Luke Heeney. The pain of shipping a booking was secondary to seeing Shane Farrell's free-kick deflect off the wall to wrongfoot Tein Troost.
Enthused by that leveller, Drogs pushed on in the second half and made it 2-1 on 63 minutes. A crunching tackle by George Cooper on Daniels set the tone for their attack and when Lambe sprinted down the right, his cross was weighted perfectly for Warren Davis to sidefoot his volley home from six yards.
Evan McLaughlin speared a free-kick for City as they regrouped but it was the presence of Daniels that forced the equaliser with five minutes left. Drogs were simply unable to counteract his power in the six yard box as he turned in a left-wing cross for 2-2.
As is the way of the hosts, they sought a winner and it was supplied when Troost collided with substitute Oluwa inside the box.
It was into the last of five stoppage time minutes when Brennan stepped up, coolly sending the Dutchman the wrong way and jumping for joy.
DROGHEDA UTD: J Brady; A Quinn, C Keeley, F Cooper (J Bolger 75); O Lambe, S Farrell, R Brennan, L Heeney, C Kane; W Davis (B Bosakani 75), D James-Taylor (T Oluwa 66).
CORK CITY: T Tein; H Nevin (A Nolan 66), F Anderson, C Lyons, M Kiernan (R Shipston 53); D Crowley, E McLaughlin; C O'Sullivan, S Murray, K Nelson (D Dunne 76); D Daniels.
Referee: A O'Dowd (Dublin).