Ryan Brennan rescues point for Drogheda at Ballybofey

The Louth side extended their unbeaten run against Harps to six games thanks to Brennan’s late strike

Mon, 04 Apr, 2022 - 23:09

James Carney

SSE Airtricity League

Premier Division

Finn Harps 2 Drogheda United 2

Substitute Ryan Brennan was the hero for Drogheda United Monday evening as he snatched a late goal to give his side a share of the spoils after an absorbing encounter at Finn Park.

Harps looked to be on course for what would have been a first home win of the Premier Division campaign as they came from behind to lead at the break, and then had the better chances in the second half.

However, the Louth side extended their unbeaten run against Harps to six games thanks to Brennan’s late strike.

Drogheda quickly got off to a wonderful start by taking the lead after just five minutes.

Darragh Nugent did the spadework on the right side of the box and found James Clarke in space, and he drilled the ball past debutant Gavin Mulreany, and just inside the post.

Harps later drew level in the 22nd minute. Sam Long did well to block an initial shot from Yoyo Mahdy, but the ball then spun back into the path of the latter and he duly found the supporting Eric McWoods, who crashed the ball into the net.

Harps went in front after 44 minutes with McWood again in the thick of things, this time providing the cross for Filip Mihaljevic to meet at the far post and head the ball back across the face of goal for Yoyo Mahdy to connect with and score from close range.

The home side enjoyed much the better of the second half, and in the 79th minute Mahdy almost got a third goal courtesy of a McWoods cross, but a Drogheda defender managed to head the ball off the line.

But Brennan then scored on 85 minutes to level the score, and Sam Long then made a top-drawer save to thwart Mahdy and keep the scoreline at 2-2.

FINN HARPS: Mulreany; Rainey, Boyle, Tourish, Slevin; McWoods, N’Zeyi, Connolly; McNamee (Timlin 89); Mahdy, Mihaljevic (Héry 75).

DROGHEDA UNITED: Long; Poynton, Cowan, Massey, Weir; Grimes (Brennan, 60), Deegan, Clarke, Nugent (Heeney 69), Rooney; Williams (Lyons 60).

Referee: O. Moran (Dublin).