Drogheda hit back and stay on top

Bohemians 2 Drogheda United 2

Though Robbie Horgan’s side never lied down, Bohemians, 2-0 up from a Dinny Corcoran brace, were left to rue a host of missed chances.

With 11 goals from their three competitive games to date this season, Bohemians were brim full of confidence and got at an edgy Drogheda from the off.

Corcoran forced a corner from visiting keeper Dave Ryan following a poor back-pass as early as four minutes. Owen Heary’s side needed only another six minutes to go ahead.

A magnificent ball with the outside of his right foot from Craig Walsh held up perfectly in the wind for Corcoran, who shot low to the bottom left corner of Ryan’s net.

That lead was doubled just before the half-hour. Though a slaloming run into the area by Paddy Kavanagh was halted, the ball broke for Corcoran who was tripped by McGuigan to give away a penalty. Corcoran duly sent Ryan the wrong way from the spot.

Scarcely in it up until then, Drogheda were gifted a route back into the game on 35 minutes. O’Neill chased a seemingly hopeless cause, hesitating initially, before realising the ball wasn’t going to go out.

Dean Delany was then culpable for not realising the danger as O’Neill resumed his run to dink a delightful ball over the Bohemians keeper from a very tight angle.

But Bohemians and Corcoran should have had a third in a lightning counterattack a minute before the interval.

Another fine pass from Walsh sent Steven Beattie away to cross for Corcoran, who took a touch before his composure deserted him and he blasted wide.

Kavanagh was also guilty of a bad miss seven minutes into the second-half when shooting over the crossbar from Kevin Devaney’s pass.

Drogheda remained well in the game, though, and Delany had to bat away a diving header form Eric Foley after Bohemians failed to clear their lines.

Further frantic home defending was required on 86 minutes. Cathal Brady brought a parry save from Delany with Aidan Price then bravely blocked the Drogheda winger’s follow-up.

Seconds later at the other end, substitute Jason Byrne headed straight into the arms of Ryan from Beattie’s cross as Bohemians again failed to stretch their advantage. It proved costly as, a minute form time, they failed to clear substitute Gavn Holohan’s corner and O’Neill pounced at the back post to force home the equaliser.

BOHEMIANS: Delany; Pender, Lopes, Price, Memery; Beattie, Walsh, McEvoy, Devaney; Kavanagh (Traynor, 66); Corcoran (Byrne, 77).

DROGHEDA UNITED: Ryan; Daly, McNally, Andrews, Grimes; McGuigan; Brady, Doyle (Maher, 67), Foley (Holohan, 67), Walshe (O‘Brien, 77); O’Neill.

Referee: Dave McKeon (Dublin).