Cian Doyle’s penalty and second-half goals from Conor McDonald and Robbie Curran saw Dundalk Youths get their DDSL U18 Super League campaign off to a flying start as they came from 2-0 down to deservedly defeat Drogheda United 3-2 at United Park on Thursday night, both sides finishing with ten men. The young Lilywhites had fallen behind against the run of play and found themselves two down by the half-hour mark. However, Doyle pulled one back from the spot eight minutes later and, after he and a Drogheda player were dismissed, Dundalk found two goals after the break, McDonald equalising on the hour before Curran fired in the winner on 78.
Two down
Dundalk, champions in 2010, made their return to the division following a one-year absence and started brightly, with Alan Browne’s side passing the ball around well. However, they were stunned just before the midway point of the first half when they lost possession on the left, with a through-ball putting the Drogheda striker through and he fired to the net. Dundalk continued in the ascendancy, but on 30 minutes they again lost the ball, this time in the middle of the park, with Drogheda raiding forward and producing a superb finish from the edge of the box. The visitors’ game plan was disrupted further on 35 minutes when Ryan Duffy was forced off through injury, Curran replacing him.
Comeback
But Dundalk were back in it on 38 minutes. Good link-up play saw Doyle, Ben McLaughlin and McDonald all combine before finding Scott Craven on the left, the youngster taking on the defender who then took him down inside the area, Doyle stepping up to convert. Three minutes before the break, both sides were reduced to ten men as Doyle saw red. After half-time, the Lilywhites continued to dominate and, moving the ball well from defence to attack, created a number of openings, only for an inspired home ‘keeper to deny them. However, on the hour, there was little he could do, as Daniel Hand’s cross was flicked on by Curran to McDonald whose low, driven shot found the net. And on 78 minutes, Dundalk deservedly won it, with a neat passage of play ending with McDonald latching onto a superb diagonal pass from substitute Michael Gray and firing in from 16-yards.
DUNDALK FC: Johnny Connolly, Jude Carroll, Stephen Kilcoyne, Seanie Crosbie, Jack Clancy, Ben McLaughlin, Conor McDonald, Cian Doyle, Ryan Duffy (Robbie Curran 35), Scott Craven (Michael Gray 70), Daniel Hand.
Goals: C Doyle (38 pen), C McDonald (60), R Curran (78).
