February 28th 2010

Drogs complete pre-season friendlies
with 3-2 win over Bray

The Drogs' final friendly of the pre-season saw tems finish on a winning note against Bray. This match gave manager Alan Mathews a final chance to to run the rule over his squad before the opening League game against UCD on Friday next. The only two players ruled out of today's mathch were the injured Damien Brennan and Alan McNally.

Paul Skinner started in goals with a back four of Tracey, Harris, Kendrick and King.
In midfield Daly lined out with the two McGills and Robbie Martin while John Flood and Glen Fitzpatrick were up front.

Like all these pre-season matches, it is a matter of players getting to know one another and the manager getting to know how they can play together. Bray, despite having quite a number of new faces on display, were a good match for us throughout the park. Mick Daly looked positive and dangerous in posession and gave us the lead after the half hour and John Flood added the second before half-time.

For the second half, midfielders O'Connor, Crowley and Eoghan Osbourne replaced Eric McGill, Robbie Martin and Mick Daly. These changes seemed to ggive Bray more room to play the ball and they pulled one back 10 minutes in. Darragh McNamara and Jamie Duffy replaced Glen Fitzpatrick and Corey Treacey.

Bray showed well and created some good chances and equalised midway through the second half. John Flood showed some neat touches on the left when he dropped in behind Jamie and Darragh, and the winner came 5 minutes from time when Darragh, who worked well up front, fed a good through ball to Jamie and the striker expertly rolled the ball under the advancing keeper.

Team: Skinner (Murphy), Treacey (Osbourne), Kendrick, Harris, E.McGill (O'Connor), B. McGill, Martin (McNamara), Flood, Daly (Crowley), King, Fitzpatrick (Duffy).

So, that's it then boys and girls, the phoney stuff is over, its all hands on deck and all shoulders to the wheel for forty fun-packed weeks and the first two matches against UCD on the Friday and Pats on the Monday will be a good start.
See yiz above a 'Frida'!