Latest news with #ConorKeeley
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Kevin Doherty hails Drogheda Utd star as ‘best defender in League of Ireland' after late heroics against Waterford
KEVIN DOHERTY reckons Conor Keeley is the best defender in the League of Ireland right now. The 27-year-old's late, late goal rescued a point for the Drogs against summer break second in the Premier Division. 2 Conor Keeley scored Drogheda Utd's equaliser against Waterford Credit: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile 2 Kevin Doherty hailed him as one of the best defenders in the League of Ireland Credit: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile And Doherty believes the Meath man is a class apart on current form. The United boss said: 'There were proper questions asked of us and we've come away with a point. 'It would have been easy for us to lie down but Conor Keeley, who is the best defender in the league at the minute in my view, comes up with a big goal. 'It's the fifth goal for him from centre-back. We're a decent side in second place going into the mid-season break and I'm not sure many would have predicted that. I know that for sure. Read More on League of Ireland 'We're really happy and we'll look forward to getting some freshness back.' While Doherty says he has a 'decent side' on his hands, Blues gaffer John Coleman believes he has the best footballing team and is aiming for Europe . Hitmen Tommy Lonergan and Pádraig Amond twice put them in front only for Warren Davis and then Keeley to peg them back. Coleman added: 'Football is a funny game because we've drawn 2-2. It feels to us like a loss and to them like a win. Most read in Sport 'I've been on the end of that many times. I'm more disappointed for my players because of how well we played — and it was two completely styles of football . 'I've nothing against the way they play. I'm not one of these people who turn their noses up on styles of football. Whatever is effective is effective. They are really good at what they do, I respect it a lot. Cork City fans watch League of Ireland clash against Dundalk in cinema 'We play a different style. We dominated the game for long periods , kept our shape, but maybe overplayed it a little bit in the second half. We pinned them back so they couldn't lay a glove on us until injury-time. 'We've defended set-plays and corners really well since I've been here. It's a cheap header for the first one and it's a ridiculous goal for the second. He's put it in from a yard with his feet. That's the disappointing thing. 'We're probably the best footballing side in the league at the minute and we've told the lads that if they don't think they can make Europe then don't come back after the break.'
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Conor Keeley's late show seals point for Drogheda United as Waterford foiled at RSC
Conor Keeley rescued an unlikely share of the spoils for Drogheda United as Waterford FC's inability to defend set pieces came back to haunt them deep into second-half injury-time in their SSE Airtricity Premier Division clash at the RSC.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Keeley clinches point for Drogs at Waterford
SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division WATERFORD FC 2 DROGHEDA UNITED 2 Conor Keeley rescued an unlikely share of the spoils for Drogheda United as Waterford FC's inability to defend set pieces came back to haunt them deep into second-half injury-time in their SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division clash at the RSC. After Blues skipper Padraig Amond thought that he had won the game with an 81st-minute finish, the visitors had the final laugh in added time when the central defender hammered home from close-range when he was left unmarked at the back post to meet a Darragh Markey corner-kick. The Waterford front three combined for the breakthrough goal on 19 minutes. Conan Noonan slipped the ball into the feet of Amond, who in turn played the perfectly weighted pass for Tommy Lonergan, who beat keeper Luke Dennison with a deflected effort off Elicha Ahui from 14 yards. Drogheda were level from a set piece at the other end four minutes later. Shane Farrell sent in a left-wing corner-kick into the centre of the penalty area, and Warren Davis powered a simple close-range header to the far corner past a helpless Stephen McMullan. Davis was twice denied in a bid to give his side the lead on 40 minutes when Shane Farrell whipped in another dangerous left-wing corner that saw Conor Keeley send the ball back into the six-yard box for the striker, but after Rowan McDonald blocked his initial effort, he hooked the rebound just over. John Coleman's side got their noses in front on 81 minutes when Grant Horton sent over a right-wing cross that saw Elicha Ahui clear to Dean McMenamy, who saw his goalbound effort touched home by Padraig Amond past Luke Dennison. The leveller came three minutes into added time from another set piece. Darragh Markey swung over a right-wing corner-kick to the back post, where the unchallenged Conor Keeley blasted high to the roof of the net from close-range before Elicha Ahui was sent off late on for a second yellow card. WATERFORD FC: McMullan; Horton, McDonald, Leahy, Burke; Olayinka (McMenamy 77), Glenfield (McCormack 85), White; Lonergan (Pouwels 88), Amond, Noonan. DROGHEDA UNITED: Dennison; Lambe (Cruise 61), Keeley, Quinn, Ahui, Kane; Heeney, Markey, Farrell (Bawa 77); Davis, Taylor (Oluwa 53) Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin). Attendance: 2241
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
League of Ireland: Shamrock Rovers remain six points clear at the top
Shamrock Rovers remain six points clear at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division this evening. A late, late equaliser from Conor Keeley helped Drogheda United salvage a 2-2 draw against Waterford at the RSC. Advertisement That sees the Louth side go into the summer break in second place. The Hoops were held to a scoreless draw by Galway United at Tallaght Stadium. Dayle Rooney's early penalty gave Bohemians a 1-0 win over Derry City at Dalymount Park. Cork City ended a four-game losing run, earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw at home to Shelbourne. The Leesiders move a point ahead of bottom side Sligo Rovers, who were beaten 1-0 by St Pats at the Showgrounds.
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Bohemians pay the penalty as Drogheda United get back to winning ways
Douglas James-Taylor is finally back in the goals for Drogheda United and that prompted a return to winning ways for the team who were in danger of seeing their stunning start to the season peter out. This victory over in-form Bohemians, who arrived at Sullivan and Lambe Park with six wins in seven matches, sends them back up to second in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division table, climbing above Derry City, St Patrick's Athletic and Bohs in the process. For a player who only arrived at the club last July, a wait of 265 days for a league goal will come as surprise to many. James-Taylor hit six goals in his first two months as a Premier Division player before his league goals dried up. They continued to flow in the FAI Cup but then a major thigh injury has denied Drogheda of his services for the majority of the season. He is back now though and United will hope he can thrive again. With one victory in their last eight games, the Drogs had dropped to fifth in the standings which stands in stark contrast to Bohemians who have overcome an inconsistent start to the campaign to emerge as one of the Premier Division's form teams. Six wins from seven games have transformed the mood around Alan Reynolds side and the expectations around what they might achieve this season. They arrived at Sullivan and Lambe Park in third, having won as many games as leaders Shamrock Rovers. Bohs had yet to draw in their 16 outings but United were specialists in the form. Eight draws so far was a tally only matched by Shelbourne. In Dawson Devoy, the visitors had a player capable of identifying gaps in the United rearguard and with the quality of pass in his arsenal to split it upon. It was the Bohs captain who delivered a cross onto Dayle Rooney's head in the 12th minute. His effort beat Luke Dennison but not the upright. The same combination again caused problems when Devoy's diagonal pass gave Rooney a sight of goal but Conor Keeley's block denied him. James-Taylor had United's best opportunities in the first half, twice testing Kacper Chorazka with fiercely struck efforts – first from range and then much closer to goal. He would not be denied when scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot. Sean Grehan clumsily fouled Conor Keeley in the area on the hour mark and the on-loan Walsall striker scored from 12 yards. The visitors had ample opportunity to level but a combination of misfortunate and missed chances proved their undoing. Colm Whelan saw a shot from the edge of the area cannon off the crossbar. Then substitutes Hugh Smith and Archie Meekison were denied twice in a matter of seconds. Both their efforts were too close to Dennison and he preserved the points. Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Elicha Ahui, Conor Keeley, Andrew Quinn; Owen Lambe, Ryan Brennan (Darragh Markey, 55), Luke Heeney, Conor Kane; Shane Farrell; Douglas James-Taylor (Kieran Cruise, 87), Warren Davis (Thomas Oluwa, 69). Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Niall Morahan (Archie Meekison, 83), Sean Grehan, Rob Cornwall (Rhys Brennan, 71), Jordan Flores; Adam McDonnell (Keith Buckley, 71), Dawson Devoy; Ross Tierney, James Clarke (Hugh Smith, 83), Dayle Rooney; Colm Whelan.
