Late Daniels goal secures Drogs draw

📷 KBD Photos

It had been a tumultuous two weeks for Cork City as back to back disappointing defeats left the fanbase feeling aggrieved as the prospect of relegation slowly becomes more real. Earlier in the day, it was announced that former Bohs, Pats and Waterford defender Rory Feely had joined the club for an undisclosed fee from Crawley Town. Along with that news, City were looking to get the fans back on board as they hosted Drogheda United who were looking to keep their good season going off the back of their recent removal from the Conference League due to multi club ownership rules.

Ger Nash made four changes to his side that were well beaten in Tallaght on Friday, with Cathal O’Sullivan, Josh Fitzpatrick, Malik Dijksteel and Evan McLaughlin all dropping to the bench. Charlie Lyons, Sean Murray, Seani Maguire and Matty Kiernan all came in to replace them.

It was just one change for Kevin Doherty’s side from their 1-0 win over Sligo on Friday, with Kieran Cruise coming out and Owen Lambe coming in. 

Drogheda sat back and allowed City to have the ball and it started well for the visitors as they took the lead after twelve minutes. The ball bounced up between Milan Mbeng and Ryan Brennan at the edge of the City box and, despite Mbeng flicking the ball away before both players' feet collided, Alan Patchell gave a free kick to Drogheda. Shane Farrell stepped up and curled a brilliant shot around the wall and in off of the post to give his side the lead.

Drogheda deployed their usual tactic as they allowed City to have the majority of the ball as the hosts tried to break Drogs down, and went close to equalising in the twenty third minute. Greg Bolger dinked the ball down the left channel to Seani Maguire who dinked a ball across the box. Djenairo Daniels rose highest to nod the ball towards goal but Luke Dennison gathered the header safely.

City continued to push and went close again with a header fourteen minutes later. Darragh Crowley sent a long ball over the Drogheda defence to Seani Maguire who looped it a first time header past a backpedalling Luke Dennison, but also past the left hand post.

City kept their aerial threats going as they had yet another headed chance two minutes before half time. Greg Bolger floated a corner to the back post where Charlie Lyons sent a header towards the far right corner, but Luke Dennison dove down to keep it out.

That would be all for the first half as Drogheda went in a goal to the good after scoring a controversial free kick. They successfully fended off City for the rest of the half and went into the break with a lead.

City came out for the second half looking to try and crack Drogheda, and came close twice in two minutes with twenty to play. Cathal O Sullivan let fly after a punched clearance from Luke Dennison but his shot was held strongly by the American shot stopper. A minute later Josh Fitz’s deflected cross made its way through to Cathal who laid it off in the box to the oncoming Rio Shipston, but the on-loan midfielder couldn't keep his effort down as it sailed over the bar.

City kept the pressure on a now wilting Drogs team and were creating cracks as the hosts came close yet again with five minutes to go. Rio Shipston fired a powerful diagonal ball towards the box where it found Seani Maguire who directed a header goalward but Luke Dennison held it to keep the visitors ahead.

Despite the fact they’d struggled to really create a big chance against this Drogheda low block, they finally cracked it in the sixth minute of additional time. Seani Maguire played a one-two with Josh Fitz down the left hand side, with the latter racing down the line and whipping a brilliant ball in, which was met by the head of Djenairo Daniels who fired a brilliant header into the bottom left corner to secure the hosts a late late equaliser. 

City didn’t settle with a point and went in search for a winner, and came agonisingly close to getting it in the eighth minute of added time. Cathal and Mbeng linked up down the right hand side with Mbeng stemming into the box. He fired a powerful cross into the six yard box where it met Seani Maguire but Maguire could only send his header over the bar from six yards out.

That would be the last action of the game as a protest-filled ninety minutes ended in a draw. It was a slightly improved City performance after the last two games were appalling to put it lightly. Neither team really displayed much quality as Drogheda didn't have much work to do defending City. After conceding an unfortunate goal in which an unfair free kick was given, City needed to get back level but really struggled to create many proper chances to do so. Drogheda weren’t that impressive though to be honest, any other team and I feel like Drogheda definitely lost that game, but City’s lack of quality at the moment meant Drogheda came away with a point, and very nearly three. Throughout the game there were various chants directed at City owner Dermot Usher, such as ‘We want Usher out’, “Twenty five euro you're having a laugh’ etc. This is something that really demonstrates the opinions and feelings of the fanbase and it's something we can expect to continue until a serious upturn of form occurs.

My Man of the Match goes to Conor Keeley. Despite Drogheda being fairly average, Keeley was by far their standout and he dealt with everything that City threw at him, bar the equalising goal. Keeley has been, in my opinion, the best centre half in the league this season and he continued that form against City on monday.

It’s a fairly quick turnaround for Nash’s side as they host a struggling St Pats live on Virgin Media on Friday night. As for Drogheda, they’ll look to get back to winning ways as they travel to the Brandywell to take on Derry City.