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Belfast Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Super-sub Dom Thomas earns Derry City deserved draw at Drogheda United
Trailing at the break to Elicha Ahul's header, the Scotsman's deflected strike meant the Brandywell men ended their poor run of results against the Drogs. A share of the spoils combined by Shamrock Rovers' impress win at Waterford, means City sit three points behind the Tallaght men, but Thomas' late strike felt like a big goal for Tiernan Lynch's side. The Brandywell men made two changes from their side that won at Cork City last week, with Ciaron Harkin and Robert Benson coming in for the injured Ronan Boyce and suspended Carl Winchester. As for the home side they also made a couple of changes with James Bolger and Thomas Oluwa coming in for Frank Cooper, who dropped to the bench, and Shane Farrell, who was also serving a one match ban. The big news prior to kick-off was the news that Drogs boss Kevin Doherty signed a new contract to remain as manager until at least the end of the 2027 campaign. At a sun-soaked Sullivan & Lambe Park, it was the visitors who missed a great chance on 36 minutes as Gavin Whyte was too selfish when he should have played in Michael Duffy when they found themselves in a two versus one situation, but instead he tried to go it alone and Conor Kane did well to get back and cut out the danger. United took the lead on 41 minutes in super fashion as centre-back Ahul rose well to powerfully head home Owen Lambe's right wing corner at the near post. Behind at the break Lynch brought on striker Daniel Mullen for Harkin and the change made Derry switched to a 4-4-2 system, as they looked to try and get back into the contest. Mullen went close on 59 minutes, but his snap-shot from the edge of the box failed to test United goalkeeper Luke Dennison. The home side should have netted a second just after the hour mark when Ahul broke clear down the right getting away from Duffy and Kevin Holt, before picking out Thomas Oluwa, but his close range effort was diverted wide by Mark Connolly. Soon after United went even close to doubling their lead as Conor Kane's delightful left wing cross found Oluwa, but the striker's close range header was superbly tipped over by Brian Maher. The visitors continued to freshen things with Dom Thomas, Paul McMullan and Pat Hoban all coming off the bench for Whyte, Duffy and Liam Boyce. The ex-Dundalk man missed a great chance to level things with virtually his first touch but Hoban's mis-hit effort from 10 yards was easily gathered by Dennison. Oluwa should have wrapped the points up on 80 minutes when he had time and space inside the City box, but with Maher to beat, he blasted over from 10 yards. The Candystripes grabbed a leveller on 90 minutes as Thomas' 20-yard strike took a massive deflection off Scott Brady on its way past Dennison. Drogheda United: Dennison, Ahul, Keeley, Bolger; Lambe, Brennan, Heeney, Kane; Oluwa; James-Taylor (Brady 75), Davis (Bosakani 89). Derry City: Maher, Cann, Connolly, Holt; Harkin (Mullen 45), O'Reilly, Benson, Todd; Whyte (McMullan 68), Boyce (Hoban 72), Duffy (Thomas 68). Match rating: 6/10
RTÉ News
02-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Sligo rally to knock Drogheda off the summit
Drogheda United fell from the top of the Premier Division table after Sligo Rovers struck twice in the space of six second-half minutes to claw back a two-goal deficit at the Showgrounds. Now with just one win in their last five, United led courtesy of goals either side of half time from the boots of Conor Keeley and Thomas Oluwa. An Owen Elding goal on 67 minutes and a Conor Kane own goal shortly after saw Rovers level the tie and topple Drogs from top spot. Rovers boss John Russell included Connor Malley in his starting eleven for the first time in four games, the ex-Dundalk general the home side's only change from the draw with Cork City last Saturday. Striker Wilson Waweru was named on the bench having returned from a serious Achilles injury which kept him out since last September, while United manager Kevin Doherty brought both Elicha Ahui and Paul Doyle back having missed the defeat to Galway. Drogs certainly had the better of the first-half exchanges against a vulnerable looking Rovers rearguard. Despite being forced into a re-shuffle because of an early injury to midfielder Doyle, the FAI Cup holders looked the far more convincing side in the opening 45 minutes. Rovers captain John Mahon did just enough to take the ball off the toe of Oluwa after the imposing attacker fended off three Sligo defenders on his way to goal, while Andrew Quinn's free header from a Shane Farrell corner was claimed by Sligo goalkeeper Sam Sargeant minutes later. The hosts then enjoyed a small purple. Elding, whose father Anthony scored the winner in the epic 2013 cup decider between these clubs, fired wide on the quarter hour after Drogheda failed to clear a Jake Doyle-Hayes set piece. The ball squirmed away from Cian Kavanagh after Elding's shot was parried by Luke Dennison towards the Sligo centre forward who found himself in front of goal. The Louthmen controlled proceedings from here until the interval and took the lead on 28 minutes. Sligo had been forewarned four minutes earlier when Keeley's header across the face of goal was headed over by the unmarked James Bolger. Drogheda arrived again and were more clinical on this occasion when Quinn knocked a Farrell free-kick back across to Keeley who fired his fourth goal of the season beyond Sargeant. Chasing the game, Rovers fashioned chances through Malley early in the second period. The first was simple for Dennison to deal with but the second, an overhead effort, had the California born stopper scrambling to clear the ball from under his crossbar. Making the most of their opportunities, Drogheda had their second just after the hour mark when Mahon misjudged the pace of a Warren Davis cross, allowing Oluwa to apply a simple finish. Not lying down however, Russell's men struck back in the 67th minute when Will Fitzgerald picked out Elding who fired into an empty net from close range for his sixth of the year. Incredibly, this game was level six minutes later when United's Bolger turned Sligo substitute Francely Lomboto's ball into his own net. There was drama in this one right to the death. Bolger hit the post from a Farrell cross 90 seconds from the end of normal time, while Fitzgerald's long-range drive at the far end whistled just wide in the sixth minute of added time. Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Harvey Lintott 60), Gareth McElroy, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Connor Malley (Matty Wolfe 87), Jake Doyle-Hayes; Will Fitzgerald, Jad Hakiki (Francely Lomboto HT), Owen Elding; Cian Kavanagh (Stephen Mallon 69). Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Elicha Ahui (Owen Lambe 68), Andy Quinn, James Bolger, Conor Keeley, Conor Kane; Paul Doyle (Ryan Brennan 5), Shane Farrell; Darragh Markey (Luke Heeney 75); Thomas Oluwa, Warren Davis (Douglas James-Taylor 68).
