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Irish Independent
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Drogheda United hearts broken by fortuitous Derry City equaliser
DERRY CITY 1 ON the day it emerged that Kevin Doherty had pledged his future to Drogheda United by signing a new contract, his team were on course for just their second win in seven games until a huge slice of ill-fortune struck in the 90th minute. FAI Cup Final star Elicha Ahui was the thorn in Derry City's side again as his first-half strike put the Boynesiders ahead, but the insurance goal just wouldn't come and the visitors stole a point when a speculative shot from Dom Thomas took a big deflection off luckless debutant Scott Brady and nestled in the net past a helpless keeper Luke Dennison. From a position where Drogheda would have climbed back into second place in the table, they ended the night in fifth spot. Derry, the league's in-form team, had arrived at Sullivan & Lambe Park intent on ending a three-game losing streak against the Drogs - including that never-to-be-forgotten cup final - and they nearly hit the front in fortuitous fashion when a mis-hit Liam Boyce effort looped up onto the roof of the net in the sixth minute. The Boynesiders then had a let-off when their marking from a free kick went awry and former Drogs centre-half Hayden Cann was left completely alone in the box, only to steer a header straight at Dennison when he had time to take the ball down. Gradually, Drogheda gained more of a foothold in the game and after some head tennis in the Derry penalty area around the half-hour mark Warren Davis steered a 20-yard volley just wide of the target. The Candystripes wasted another great scoring opportunity on 35 minutes when Gavin Whyte and Michael Duffy created a two-on-one situation, but Whyte failed to release his colleague and Conor Kane somehow got back to dispossess the Northern Ireland international with a timely tackle. Perhaps it was slightly against the run of play, then, when the home side struck in the 41st minute. Owen Lambe forced Derry into conceding a corner kick and it was the wing-back's delivery from the right that was met with a near-post bullet header from Ahui for 1-0. There was a half-chance for Thomas Oluwa in the 44th minute after a Cann error, but the striker opted for a cross instead of a shot and the danger was averted. The third quarter belonged to Drogheda and they will feel this was the period when they should have put the game to bed. Their best chance arrived in the 62nd minute when Ahui chased a seemingly lost cause, came away with the ball from a 50/50 tackle on the right touchline and charged towards goal. The option was there for the Englishman to take a shot, but instead he squared to the supporting Oluwa who took a couple of touches before seeing his goal-bound shot deflected narrowly wide by Kevin Holt. Then, three minutes, later, Douglas James-Taylor released the on-rushing Kane whose brilliant cross from the left reached Oluwa, and his header was tipped over the bar by Brian Maher. With no sign of an equaliser coming, Derry boss Tiernan Lynch had made four changes by the 72nd minute in the hope of salvaging something from the game and his side passed up a great opportunity on 77 minutes when two of his substitutes combined. With Brennan off the field after receiving attention, Paul McMullan whipped a cross into the box and the ball eventually landed at the feet of Patrick Hoban whose mis-hit shot was gathered comfortably by Dennison. At the other end a Brennan effort ricocheted towards sub Brady and he nicely clipped the ball into the path of Oluwa who shot over from 10 yards, but in the last minute of normal time Thomas broke Drogheda's hearts with that fortunate equaliser. Drogheda: Luke Dennison 7; Elicha Ahui 8, Conor Keeley 8, James Bolger 7, Owen Lambe 8, Luke Heeney 7, Ryan Brennan 8, Conor Kane 8; Warren Davis 7 (Bridel Bosakani 88); Thomas Oluwa 7, Douglas James-Taylor 8 (Scott Brady 75, 7). Subs not used: Zishim Bawa, George Cooper, Kieran Cruise, Aaron Harper-Bailey, Dare Kareem, Andrew Quinn, Jack Brady. Derry: Brian Maher 7; Hayden Cann 8, Mark Connolly 8, Kevin Holt 8, Sam Todd 8; Adam O'Reilly 7, Robbie Benson 6, Ciaron Harkin 6 (Danny Mullen 46, 6), Michael Duffy 7 (Paul McMullan 68, 7); Gavin Whyte 6 (Dom Thomas 68, 7), Liam Boyce 7 (Pat Hoban 72, 6). Subs not used: Arlo Doherty, Shane Ferguson, Glenn McCourt, Cead McGrath, Sean Patton. ATTENDANCE: 2,301
Belfast Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
In-form Derry City full of belief we can pass tricky Drogheda test: Mark Connolly
Kevin Doherty's team have had the Candystripes' number since the 2024 season, especially in the FAI Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium in November which proved to be Ruaidhri Higgins' last game in charge. That Cup win has helped fire Drogheda to the top of the League for a lengthy spell already in the 2025 season, and they frustrated Derry further with a 3-1 win at the Brandywell in April. And while they may have lost top spot following defeat to Shamrock Rovers, Connolly knows that the Candystripes will have to be at their best to continue their own good form against a team that annually causes them problems. 'First and foremost, Drogheda are a good team, and they are up there at the top end of the table for a reason,' he acknowledged. 'We know it's not going to be an easy game, and we know going there, it's going to be very difficult, but the way we've been playing recently, we're a very, very solid unit now and we have got a lot of boys working extremely hard. 'We're going there full of confidence and, hopefully, we can go there and get a win.' Connolly believes that bruised egos could be the driving force which leads Derry to greater success in the 2025 season. The Candystripes have gone from bottom of the Premier Division earlier in the season to joint top after three successive victories, and they head towards the halfway point of the season in their best form. Connolly believes that the pain of that early-season form has evolved into a winning attitude which can only lead to greater things down the line. 'They all have egos, which you need to play at the top level,' he said. 'But they are all good people, and I've said it before, it doesn't matter if you're 17 years of age or 33 or 34; if you're not playing well, it hurts, and if you are dropped or taken out of the team, it hurts. 'But if we want to be winning anything and if we want Derry City to be successful, we all need to be pulling in the same direction. 'There's a lot of hurt there when you're not playing, but you need a reaction, and the club is far bigger than any player that walks through the door. 'There are numerous players who have been in and out of the team and they keep coming back and they keep working hard, and at the moment, they are certainly getting their rewards for it and long may it continue.'
Irish Independent
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Drogheda United's Elicha Ahui not dwelling on past successes as Derry City come to town
ELICHA Ahui says he's hoping his own good record against Derry City continues when the Candystripes come to town this Friday evening - but he's under no illusions about the challenge Drogheda United face against the league's in-form team. Tiernan Lynch's men have won five of their last six games to move from the relegation zone to joint top of the table alongside Shamrock Rovers and Ahui feels Derry could be a different animal from the one beaten by the Drogs in last year's FAI Cup Final.
