Drab stalemate in Waterford clash leaves Drogheda United feeling blue

Irish Independent

5 hours ago

Dropped points elsewhere by Bohemians, Shelbourne and Derry City limited the damage to Drogheda United's European aspirations following this disappointing draw against Waterford at Sullivan & Lambe Park on Friday night.
In a game of few chances the Boynesiders did rack up their fourth consecutive clean sheet, but they were lacking in quality at the opposite end of the pitch against the joint worst defence in the Premier Division and failed to test Stephen McMullan in the Waterford goal all evening.
Opposition boss John Coleman had said in the build-up to this game that he'd be trying to do to Drogheda what they did to Bohs the previous week, in other words defending resiliently and then trying to hit them on the break, and Waterford will be well pleased with their night's work despite failing to complete the job by snatching a shock winner.
The Boynesiders began brightly enough and in the fourth minute Darragh Markey had a shot blocked and Shane Farrell's follow-up from distance grazed the crossbar.
Oluwa then sent a looping header just too high from Markey's floated cross, before Conor Kane and Markey combined to put Oluwa down the left flank and he cut the ball back to Owen Lambe whose shot was blocked by Ryan Burke.
Oluwa then got on the end of a lovely floated pass by Shane Farrell and cut inside before sending a tame shot straight into the hands of McMullan.
At the other end Lambe gave away possession cheaply and from the resulting Waterford attack the ball sat up nicely for Conan Noonan and his half-volley was superbly turned away by keeper Luke Dennison.
Just past the half-hour mark, Oluwa pick-pocketed Burke and took off down the pitch and had a two-on-one situation as Josh Thomas came up in support, but the former Wexford striker went for goal himself and his shot was brilliantly blocked away for a corner by last man Kyle White.
Oluwa had a couple of other half-chances coming up to half-time, and just after the break James Bolger's pass released Lambe in behind the Waterford defence and he squared towards Thomas whose low shot lacked power as McMullan again made a routine save.
A similar effort at the other end by former Liverpool and Rangers midfielder Jordan Dennison mwas easily gathered by Dennison, but Drogheda continued to have the upper hand and Oluwa fired an angled effort into the side netting after an assist from Conor Keeley, before Keeley himself hooked over the bar.
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The longer the game went on, though, the more Waterford seemed to grow in confidence and the final quarter was an evenly contested affair.
Tommy Lonergan had a sight of goal in the 71st minute as he drifted infield, but Andrew Quinn did just enough to put off the former St Pat's man whose shot flew well wide.
Lonergan then headed just over the bar from a Noonan corner, before Padraig Amond glanced a header straight into the hands of Dennison.
Drogheda threatened from a couple of corner kicks in stoppage time, but Waterford defended gamely and ultimately were good value for a rare point on the road.
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison 7; James Bolger 8, Conor Keeley 8, Andrew Quinn8 ; Owen Lambe 6, Ryan Brennan 8, Shane Farrell 8 (John O'Sullivan 77min, 6), Conor Kane 7; Darragh Markey 7, Thomas Oluwa 6 (Dare Kareem 85min), Josh Thomas 6 (Warren Davis 62min, 6). Subs not used: Aaron Harper-Bailey, George Cooper, Kieran Cruise, Luke Heeney, Michael Cardo, Jack Brady.
Waterford: Stephen McMullan 7; Grant Horton 8, Rowan McDonald 8, Andy Boyle 8, Ryan Burke 8; Conan Noonan 8, James Olayinka 7, Jordan Rossiter 7, Kyle White 7; Padraig Amond 8, Tommy Lonergan 6 (Trae Bailey Coyle 86min). Subs not used: (Adam Coyne, Bradley Wade, Jesse Dempsey, Sean Keane, Adam Queally, Dean McMenamy, Sam Glenfield, Josh Miles.
Attendance: 2,194