League Report: Drogheda United 1-1 Sligo Rovers

Both of these teams came into the game off the back of a defeat, so a 1-1 draw won’t have upset either of them, but both sides could have won an entertaining encounter at Head in the Game Park on Friday evening.

Drogheda began the game with three centre-backs and a wing-back pairing, perhaps in a bid to stifle the attacking prowess of Jordan Gibson and Walter Figueira, Sligo’s two swashbuckling wide midfielders.

And in the third minute the importance of this was underlined when Figueira combined with Romeo Parkes on the left and the resulting cross was flicked narrowly wide of the Drogheda goal by Johnny Kenny.

In fact, the majority of the half chances in the early stages were created by the visitors. So it was something of a surprise to them when, on 17 minutes, they found themselves behind.

Ronan Murray pumped a free kick into the Sligo area and ‘keeper Ed McGinty made the disastrous decision to come out and claim it. Out he came, but claim it he did not, and after Daniel O’Reilly headed the ball over the stranded custodian, Chris Lyons had the straightforward task of nudging his header over the undefended goal-line.

There followed a couple of hairy incidents in the Sligo defence when a combination of nervousness and over elaboration nearly caused them more harm, but they overcame this, settled back into the game, and duly equalised ten minutes before half-time.

It was Figueira who created it, cutting inside and shooting low from distance. Colin McCabe spilled the ball and failed to recover in time to deny Kenny who had followed it in and finished calmly from close range.

The Boynesiders continued to give as good as they got. Powered by the energy of wing-back James Brown, the busy energy of Darragh Markey, the professional diligence of Gary Deegan and the waspish Lyons up front, they matched a Sligo team that perhaps had more elegance about them.

Five minutes into the second half Rovers fullback Lewis Banks stung the hands of McCabe, and seven minutes later a sweeping move initiated by Parkes, playing unusually deep, almost put Kenny through on goal.

Drogheda switched to four at the back, releasing Killian Phillips into a more advanced role, and his pass almost released Lyons just after the hour mark. Meanwhile, four minutes later at the other end, only a saving challenge from Brown denied Parkes.

On 66 minutes the home side should have been ahead. Brown powered up the right flank, driving a move that ended when a perfect cut-back reached Phillips. All alone, the youngster scooped his effort high over the bar and the scores remained tied.

As we moved into the final 15 minutes both goalkeepers appeared jittery, but while chances were created they were then scorned. Drogheda’s Dan O’Reilly shovelled a shot high and wide on 80 minutes and Sligo’s Greg Bolger struck a tame free kick at McCabe five minutes later.

Finally, in added time, Gibson came close to creating a winner for the Bit O’ Red but his chipped ball across the six-yard box was just too high for substitute De Vries, and the game ended all square.

Drogheda United: Colin McCabe; James Brown, Killian Phillips, Daniel O’Reilly, Dane Massey, Ryan O’Shea; Darragh Markey, Gary Deegan, Mark Doyle (Luke Heeney 53); Ronan Murray (James Clarke 73); Chris Lyons.

Subs Not Used: David Odumosu (gk), Hugh Douglas Mohammad Boudiaf, Brandon Bermingham, Jordan Adeyemo, Charles Mutawe, Sam O’Brien.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Lewis Banks, Garry Buckley, John Mahon, Robbie McCourt; Jordan Gibson, Greg Bolger, Shane Blaney, Walter Figueira; Romeo Parkes (Ryan De Vries 80); Johnny Kenny.

Subs Not Used: Richard Brush (gk), Regan Donelon, Darren Collins, Mark Byrne, Cillian Heaney, Colm Horgan, Scott Lynch, Peter Maguire.

Referee: Robert Harvey.

Extratime.com Player of the Match: James Brown (Drogheda United)

In Pictures: Drogheda United 1 - 1 Sligo Rovers https://t.co/zoL9QEQCnqpic.twitter.com/re5HLfwrQt

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) May 1, 2021