Daniel Kearns’ 83rd-minute header completed a vital comeback for Dundalk as they defeated local rivals Drogheda United 2-1 at United Park on Friday night, as the Lilywhites earned their first away points of the season. Drogheda, despite holding little possession, had taken the lead through Daniel Corcoran on 25 minutes. However, the visitors responded in good fashion after the break and were back on level terms within 11 minutes of the restart as Colin Hawkins powered home a Ross Gaynor corner. The North Louth club then snatched all three points with just seven minutes remaining when Gaynor again provided the delivery, Kearns getting up brilliantly to loop a header over Steven Trimble.
Ward & woodwork
Dundalk manager Ian Foster selected an unchanged team for just the third time this season, in the side’s 15th competitive outing, as he remained without injured quintet Eoghan Osborne, Greg Bolger, Stephen Maher, Shane Guthrie and Dean Bennett. And it was the visitors that started the brighter. In the third minute, Jason Byrne and Kearns linked up on the right, with the latter’s cross finding the head of Mark Quigley whose effort was off target. Moments later, Simon Madden won a free-kick in a dangerous position down the right wing, but Gaynor’s left-footed delivery was headed clear, with a chance from the resulting play going over the bar. Before the quarter-hour mark, Dundalk should have taken the lead when a free-kick was taken quickly to Quigley and he slid in Keith Ward with a delightful pass, the youngster shooting past Trimble only to see it come back off the post. Quigley, from the resulting play, ballooned over from the edge of the area.
Drogs ahead
Shortly after, Dundalk had another chance when Kearns, after being found by Byrne on the right, cut left and shot goalwards, his effort gathered by the home ‘keeper. The chances continued on 19 minutes when Gaynor found himself in behind but, off balance, his shot never troubled Trimble. Quigley then showed great feet but just after getting inside the box he got it taken off his toe as he was about to pull the trigger. Drogheda created their first chance of the game, just shy of the midway point of the half, when Brian Gannon’s cross was almost met in the six-yard box by Corcoran, the ball going wide of Peter Cherrie’s goal. But on 25 minutes the home side were ahead. A throw-in from Dundalk’s left-back area was not cleared properly, Stephen McDonnell’s header falling only as far as Corcoran who shot first-time to the net from 15-yards. The visitors tried to reply within seconds, with Kearns’ low cross finding Quigley who, from close to 18-yards, shot straight at Trimble, though it took two attempts for him to gather.
Trimble save
Then, past the half-hour mark, McDonnell went close when, after picking up possession 30-yards from goal, he took a touch before powering a fine long-range effort which whistled just past Trimble’s top left-hand corner. Drogheda almost made it 2-0 shortly after when Cherrie flapped at a Philip Hand free-kick from the left, with the ball bouncing off Victor Ekanem’s knee and, luckily for Dundalk, going wide. Foster’s side, as throughout, continued to dominate possession, but they failed to seriously test the home No1 before the half-time break. On 47 minutes, the Lilywhites created the first chance of the second half when Quigley fed Kearns on the right and his low driven shot flashed across goal, going narrowly wide. On 51 minutes, a cross from Kearns looked harmless but the Drogheda defence hesitated, with Ekanem eventually clearing behind with Gaynor rushing in. Dundalk continued to press and had two chances shortly after, firstly Quigley’s header from a Kearns free-kick forcing Trimble to tip over before Michael Hector’s effort was gathered by Trimble from the resulting corner.
Dundalk double
On 55 minutes, Hector raided forward and found Kearns on the left, his low cross turned behind. And from the corner, Hawkins rose highest to power a header past Trimble. Drogheda could have restored their lead past the hour-mark when Corcoran was teed up 20-yards out but his powerful effort was pushed away by Cherrie. At the other end, seconds later, Kearns played in Byrne in the box but his first-time curling effort was just wide of the top corner. Dundalk continued to press but they found little in the way of noteworthy chances. On 80 minutes, Darragh Hanaphy had a chance for the hosts but, from inside the box, he shot wide of the target from a difficult angle. On 83 minutes, Dundalk hit the front. Madden’s cross from the right forced Trimble to claw the ball out from underneath his bar, but Gaynor fed the ball back in from the left, Kearns rising high to loop a header over the Drogs ‘keeper. The visitors could have added to their lead when substitute Johnny Breen tried his luck from 25-yards, the shot pushed away. Breen then headed wide after Madden’s cross was knocked back across goal by Byrne. It mattered little, however, as Dundalk comfortably held out for maximum points.
DROGHEDA UNITED FC: Steven Trimble; Mark Nolan, Alan McNally, Victor Ekanem, Philip Hand, Stephen Quigley, Mark O’Brien (Jack Flynn 85), Brian Gannon ©, David Freeman; Daniel Corcoran (Colin O’Brien 73), Daragh Hanaphy.
Goal: D Corcoran (25).
Booked: S Quigley (31), M O’Brien (45+2), S Trimble (48).
Unused Subs: David Quirke (GK), Darragh McNamara, Seán Skelly, Cillian Thompson, Ronan McEnteggart.
DUNDALK FC (4-2-3-1): Peter Cherrie; Simon Madden ©, Colin Hawkins, Michael Hector, Nathan Murphy; Stephen McDonnell, Keith Ward (Johnny Breen 73); Daniel Kearns, Mark Quigley, Ross Gaynor; Jason Byrne.
Goals: C Hawkins (56), D Kearns (83).
Booked: R Gaynor (90+2).
Unused Subs: Paul Murphy (GK), Mark Griffin, Philip Duffy, Chris Kerr.
Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).
