City hold on for a point at the Cross

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City returned home to Turner’s Cross to face off against league leaders Drogheda United, live on Virgin Media 2. It was the first time that the TV cameras made the trip to the Cross since the 2-0 loss to St Patrick’s Athletic in the semi final of the FAI Cup in 2023. City were looking to continue their solid home form, having not lost at home so far this season. They were coming off of a gritty and tough 1-1 draw in Tolka Park before the international break.

Tim Clancy was forced to make one change from the side that held Shelbourne in Tolka Park. The suspended Charlie Lyons dropped out of the side, and was replaced by Harvey Skieters. This forced Tim Clancy out of the 5 at the back and to instead implement a 442.

As for Drogheda, they made two changes to the side who narrowly lost at home to Shamrock Rovers last time out. George Cooper and Andrew Quinn were replaced in the 11 by Aaron Harper-Bailey and James Bolger.

The game got off to a flying start and the hosts almost took the lead within the opening two minutes. Benny Couto tried to hook a ball over the top of the defence to Kitt Nelson, but Ryan Brennan got his head on it and tried to cushion the ball back to Luke Dennison, but instead Brennan plays the header to Ruairi Keating, who runs through on goal but dragged his shot wide of the right hand post.

The ball was in the back of the City net merely a minute later, but the goal was chalked off. Milan Mbeng rolled the goal kick to Tein Troost, who before he could clear the ball, was closed down by Warren Davis. Troost booted the ball off of Davis, and the ball proceeded to roll into the back of the net. But, luckily for City, Warren Davis was adjudged to have encroached into the penalty area before the goal kick was taken, so the goal was disallowed.

Drogheda began to take grip of the game, and were extremely unlucky to not take the lead in the eighth minute, despite solid defending from City. A cross into the box was punched away by Troost. The ball fell to Warren Davis, whose shot was saved, and the follow up from Conor Keeley was blocked. Drogheda recycled the ball and sent its again into the box. They managed to get another three shots off, but all were saved or blocked, with the visiting fans baffled as to how they hadn't taken the lead.

Drogheda came close yet again with twenty one minutes gone. A free kick was floated to the back post, where Conor Keeley was able to head across goal to James Bolger, but Bolgers shot from the penalty spot went very narrowly wide.

Despite the general dominance from the visitors, their struggles to take their chances came back to bite them, as City took the lead against the run of play in the thirty third minute.Darragh Crowley whips a ball into the box that was put behind for a corner by the arm of Aaron Harper-Bailey. The referee took a moment of deliberation before pointing to the spot. Ruairi Keating stepped up and rifled the penalty into the top left corner beyond the reach of Luke Dennison to give City the lead.

Despite continuing to put pressure on the home side for the rest of the half, Drogheda found themselves a goal down heading into half time.

The visitors started the second half much like they ended the first, and managed to level the game in the sixty second minute. Luke Heeney led a counter attack for Drogheda and went driving at the heart of the City defence. Heeney slotted it down the right channel to Warren Davis, who cut inside past Freddie Anderson and curled it into the bottom left corner.

Despite the visitors being the better side in the game, City did have some chances of their own, and almost retook the lead with seventeen minutes to play. Rio Shipston swung in a corner towards the back post where Milan Mbeng was able to head it across goal. Kitt Nelson managed to flick it goalward, but Luke Dennison was equal to it.

Drogheda kept the pressure on the City backline, and again nearly took the lead with nine minutes of normal time to go. Owen Lambe did well to get down the right hand side and lift a cross towards the back post, where it met the foot of the oncoming Luke Heeney, who drilled a shot at goal and forced a brilliant quick reaction save from Tein Troost to keep the game level.

Drogheda were relentless with their pressure on City’s back four in the last ten minutes, but ultimately they couldn't find that clinical finish that they were crying out for, and if Douglas James-Taylor and Josh Thomas were fit, maybe they would have found it.

It is possibly the worst that City have played so far this season in my opinion. We were quite sloppy in midfield at times and struggled with composure and a real cutting edge in the final third. Drogheda were able to cut us open many times throughout the ninety and were it not for some good last ditch defending at times throughout the game, City could very easily have lost that game. There were a few good performances for City, with Benny Couto, Tein Troost and Kitt Nelson being standouts, but ultimately it was a generally poor performance from the Rebel Army

As for Drogheda, they were very impressive in the vast majority of what they did. Kevin Doherty had them set up very well and they looked threatening every time they sprung a counter on City. They were aggressive in their pressing which caused City all sorts of problems. Their midfield were very good at being able to cut through City in the central areas, aswell as being able to pile the box and go direct when needed. The only negative that I have about them would be that they were a bit wasteful with their chances once they got into those scoring positions. But, as I mentioned already, they are without their two main strikers so maybe were they fit they would've found a winner.

It was tough to choose a man of the match for this game, but I'm gonna go with Drogheda’s Shane Farrell. Farrell was instrumental alongside Ryan Brennan for Drogheda in the middle of the park and he orchestrated many of the visitors' attacks, including releasing Luke Heeney in the build up to their goal.

Tim Clancy will be disappointed with his team's performance, and they'll be looking to correct it when they make the trip to the Brandywell as they take on Derry City next friday night. As for Drogheda, they'll return to O’Sullivan and Lambe park to take on Waterford on the same day.