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14/04/2006, 11:36 PM
Drogheda United ground out their seventh 1-0 win of the season to put them four points clear at the top of the Premier Division. The result was harsh on UCD, though, who me most of the running and who deserved a draw at least.
UCD made three changes from the team which won 4-1 over Bray - two of which were forced after injuries to both central defenders, Conor Kenna and Alan McNally. In their places came Brian Shortall and Tony McDonnell, while Gary Dicker was restored to the midfield in place of Conan Byrne.
UCD started much the better, and took five minutes to register the first decent shot on target, but Dan Connor held Alan Cawley's 20-yard snapshot. Five minutes later, Conor Sammon arrived on the end of a low cross into the box, but his touch let him down and the ball ran out for a goal-kick.
It took half an hour for Drogheda to produce anything of note, but when they did, it required a superb save from Darren Quigley to turn away Sami Riistila's powerful drive from outside the box. UCD went straight up the pitch and could have scored themselves - Paul Byrne beat the advancing Dan Connor to a Darragh Ryan cross, but his header bounced agonisingly wide of the empty net. And ten minutes later, Connor had to be sharp when Conor Sammon broke through - the goalkeeper came to his side's rescue with a sliding tackle at the expense of a corner.
Two minutes into the second half, however, Drogheda took the lead rather against the run of play. James Keddy found spaec to get a cross in from the left, and Shane Bradley took advantage of a defensive slip to blast into the top corner from ten yards with Quigley exposed.
After that, Drogheda were happy to put ten men behind the ball and try and hit UCD on the counter, which almost brought a result for them with a 25-yard drive which flew just over Quigley's goal. As UCD pressed forward for the equaliser, Glen Fitxpatrick got in behind the defence, but his shot was dragged badly wide.
In the dying minutes, Tony McDonnell had a great chance in a scramble at a corner, but Drogheda managed to deflect the ball away, while in injury-time, Derek Doyle saw his cross from out on the left wing come off the bar, with Dan Connor somehow stopping Conor Sammon from poking home the rebound.
UCD - Quigley; Mahon, Ryan, Shortall, McDonnell; Hurley (Matthews 78), Cawley (Doyle 78), Dicker, McWalter; P Byrne (C Byrne 78), Sammon. Subs not used - Hussey, Quinn
Att - c 1500
UCD made three changes from the team which won 4-1 over Bray - two of which were forced after injuries to both central defenders, Conor Kenna and Alan McNally. In their places came Brian Shortall and Tony McDonnell, while Gary Dicker was restored to the midfield in place of Conan Byrne.
UCD started much the better, and took five minutes to register the first decent shot on target, but Dan Connor held Alan Cawley's 20-yard snapshot. Five minutes later, Conor Sammon arrived on the end of a low cross into the box, but his touch let him down and the ball ran out for a goal-kick.
It took half an hour for Drogheda to produce anything of note, but when they did, it required a superb save from Darren Quigley to turn away Sami Riistila's powerful drive from outside the box. UCD went straight up the pitch and could have scored themselves - Paul Byrne beat the advancing Dan Connor to a Darragh Ryan cross, but his header bounced agonisingly wide of the empty net. And ten minutes later, Connor had to be sharp when Conor Sammon broke through - the goalkeeper came to his side's rescue with a sliding tackle at the expense of a corner.
Two minutes into the second half, however, Drogheda took the lead rather against the run of play. James Keddy found spaec to get a cross in from the left, and Shane Bradley took advantage of a defensive slip to blast into the top corner from ten yards with Quigley exposed.
After that, Drogheda were happy to put ten men behind the ball and try and hit UCD on the counter, which almost brought a result for them with a 25-yard drive which flew just over Quigley's goal. As UCD pressed forward for the equaliser, Glen Fitxpatrick got in behind the defence, but his shot was dragged badly wide.
In the dying minutes, Tony McDonnell had a great chance in a scramble at a corner, but Drogheda managed to deflect the ball away, while in injury-time, Derek Doyle saw his cross from out on the left wing come off the bar, with Dan Connor somehow stopping Conor Sammon from poking home the rebound.
UCD - Quigley; Mahon, Ryan, Shortall, McDonnell; Hurley (Matthews 78), Cawley (Doyle 78), Dicker, McWalter; P Byrne (C Byrne 78), Sammon. Subs not used - Hussey, Quinn
Att - c 1500