22nd March 2010

Drogs progress in Leinster Senior Cup

Match Report
St. Patricks Athletic 0 - 1 Drogheda United

This postponed Leinster Senior Cup tie finally took place at a sparsely populated Richmond Park tonight and from the Drogs point of view it had a satisfactory outcome when we registered our first victory of the season. But before yiz get carried away with yizzerselves, let me explain that this was a weakened St Pats team. But a win is a win and this was a perfect antiodote to Friday Night's absurdities.

Alan Mathews made a few changes from Friday, and even though we had a strong lineup on the bench, he chose to start Eoghan Osbourne at left back and Eric McGill came into midfield with Robbie Martin supporting Fitzer up front. Exchanges were close from the start and Pats came close in the first two minutes when Brian King, who had another great game, hooked the ball away from the line when a goal seemed certain. We gradually began to find our feet and showed some good touches. The star of the 90 minutes was Garreth O'Connor who won endless balls in the middle and distributed intelligently. His interplay with Brendan McGill and Brian King was a feature of the Drogs performance. Paul Crowley also showed up well in the middle and, after seeing a good shot saved after 10 minutes, he struck a great header from a (who else but ) Brendan McGill cross after 15 minutes for what proved to be the winning goal.

Pats started with Alex Williams up front, but good defensive work by McNally and Harris limited his chances, and Brian King, aided and abetted by Brendan McGill, kept the dangerous Gareth Coughlin in check, and a combination of poor decision-making by the Pats forwards and good play by the Drogs kept the score to 1-0 at the interval.

Two minurtes into the second half Paul Skinner made a great save with his feet to deny Pats the equaliser and on 55 minutes a sweeping Drogs move saw us score only to be whistled up for a foul on Dan, who came on for the second half. On 65 John Flood replaced Glen Fitz and two minutes later Eric McGill, who looked good going forward, broke through the middle and had his shot turned away for a corner. Joe Kendrick cam on for Jamie Harris 70 minutes and slotted into central defence very efficiently. And, even though Pats made a few flourishes, we contained things well and on 85 produced a brilliant move when a series of single touches from Brendan McGill, Paul Crowley and Brian King created a great chance for John Flood who was only denied by a brilliant Dan Connor save. Ryan Brennan replaced Robbie Martin before the end and showed a few deft touches.

And that was it, a first victory of Season 2010 , well deserved and a good performance which puts us on a good frame of mind for Friday in Santry. Well done to the boys!

Team: Paul Skinner, Brian King, Eoghan Osbourne, Jamie Harris(Joe Kendrick 70), Alan McNally, Paul Crowley, Brendan McGill, Eric McGill, Garreth O'Connor,Glen Fitzpatrick (John Flood 65), Robbie Martin (Ryan Brennan 85). Subs not used; Jamie Duffy, Mick Daly