Relief for Drogheda United and Kevin Doherty as they beat Sligo Rovers in fine style

SLIGO ROVERS 1

AARON McNally’s excellent individual goal close to full-time was the icing on the cake as Drogheda United picked up their first victory in eight games with an impressive comeback against Sligo Rovers on Friday night.

A series of draws had kept the Boynesiders ahead of rock bottom Dundalk in the table, but they desperate needed a win to avoid being cut adrift from the rest and Kevin Doherty’s side duly delivered.

Drogheda made an encouraging start as Frantz Pierrot had a shot deflected wide in the opening seconds before Warren Davis volleyed wide from a Gary Deegan assist. However, the Bit O’Red’s first attack of the game resulted in a goal in the sixth minute. Former Dundalk midfielder Connor Malley delivered the ball into the penalty area with the outside of his right boot and Wilson Waweru brilliantly chested down into the path of Will Fitzgerald whose first-time drilled shot beat Jethren Barr from an acute angle.

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Davis had another sight of goal in the 12th minute but failed to hit the target from the edge of the box, and Oisin Gallagher then sliced wide under pressure from Oliver Denham before Pierrot flashed a header the wrong side of the post from a Luke Heeney cross.

A brief Sligo rally saw Stefan Radosavljevic shoot straight at Barr from distance, before Waweru had the ball in the net, only to have the goal ruled out for offside.

So it was slightly against the run of play when Drogheda drew level in the 24th minute. Pierrot did well to control Hayden Cann’s pass and release Davis and the youngster dribbled towards the penalty area before squaring to Pierrot who had continued his run. That pass was cut out by a defender, but the ball sat up nicely for Darragh Markey who curled a superb shot into the top corner from the edge of the ‘D’ - 1-1.

Barely a minute later Drogheda nearly took the lead when Deegan robbed Malley and took off towards goal, using supporting players as a decoy, only to hit a disappointing shot straight into the arms of Sligo keeper Ed McGinty.

On the half-hour mark Conor Kane’s long, diagonal ball into the box was headed goalwards by Cann, only for Charlie Wiggett to pop up with a crucial clearance just as Davis looked set to score from close range.

It was Wiggett’s centre-back partner Denham who intervened next with a heroic block to deny Foley, but Sligo perhaps should have restored their lead on 40 minutes as Fitzgerald got in behind the defence again, only to hook the ball well wide from a similar position to the one from which he scored.

The outstanding Markey instigated the move from which he had a goal-bound shot blocked by Denham in the 44th minute, with Kane the provider, and Pierrot then peeled off his marker to fire wide.

In first-half stoppage time Cann’s outstretched leg diverted a Reece Hutchinson shot towards Malley who fired over the bar.

The feast of goalmouth action continued at the start of the second period as Cann headed straight at McGinty from a Kane free kick, and Barr showed good hands to clutch a stinging shot from Radosavljevic.

For a five-minute period Drogheda seemed to lose their shape completely and manager Doherty made full use of an injury stoppage to hold a mini team meeting beside the home dugout.

The next chance fell to Sligo as a sweeping pass from Niall Morahan bounced just out of reach of the unmarked Kailin Barlow at the back post, but the final half-hour belonged to Drogheda.

On 62 minutes a Markey shot ricocheted off Malley towards Deegan whose volley rose just over the crossbar, and then came the all-important breakthrough.

Markey released Heeney near the right corner and his cross was intially cut out, but the Bellewstown man was onto the rebound in a flash as Morahan dithered near the endline and the Sligo captain then tripped Heeney as he dribbled towards goal.

Referee Mark Houlihan immediately pointed to the spot and for a moment there was confusion over the penalty taker as Davis stepped forward, but eventually Pierrot grabbed the ball and showed great composure as he sent McGinty the wrong way to put the Boynesiders ahead.

Sligo’s only response with a fiercely struck shot from Hutchinson that Barr parried to safety, but Drogheda secured all three points when Denham miscued an attempted headed clearance under pressure from substitute Ryan Brennan.

Another sub, McNally, gleefully snapped up possession, ghosted into the box and turned onto his right foot before firing low to the net for 3-1.

Drogheda: Jethren Barr; Luke Heeney, Jack Keaney, Hayden Cann, Conor Kane; Gary Deegan, Oisin Gallagher; Adam Foley (Aaron McNally 65), Darragh Markey (Dave Webster 90+1), Warren Davis; Frantz Pierrot (Ryan Brennan 84).

Sligo: Ed McGinty; John Ross Wilson, Charlie Wiggett, Oliver Denham, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan (Rein Smit 78), Connor Malley, Ellis Chapman; Stefan Radosavljevic (Owen Elding 78), Will Fitzgerald (Kailin Barlow 46); Wilson Waweru.

ATTENDANCE: 1,694