Waterford secure Premier status in Drogs stalemate

Drogheda keeper Luke Dennison was the busier of the two keepers as he made a couple of excellent saves to deny the hosts victory.

Fri, 11 Oct, 2024 - 22:05

Adrian Flanagan

Premier Division: Waterford FC 0 Drogheda United 0

Waterford FC have secured their Premier status for 2025 after picking up a point from their SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division clash against cup finalists Drogheda United, who also earned a point in their survival bid in a mediocre contest at the RSC.

After both teams scored 13 goals between them in their previous three league meetings before this clash, it was the visiting keeper Luke Dennison who was the busier of the two keepers as he made a couple of excellent saves to deny the hosts victory.

The home side started on the front foot with Ryan Burke winning a free-kick on two minutes, but Grant Horton’s effort was well held by Drogheda keeper Luke Dennison.

Ben McCormack won a free in a dangerous position on 13 minutes when he was fouled by Luke Heeney, and when Dean McMenamy’s effort fell to Barry Baggley on the top of the area, his left-footed shot was superbly tipped over the bar.

Drogheda striker Adam Foley carved out a chance that went close to the breakthrough goal on 26 minutes when he took possession of the ball on the top of the penalty area, but his low shot was superbly turned around the posts by Blues keeper Sam Sargeant.

In a first half that saw a total of 13 corner-kicks, neither team could produce a moment of magic from those set-pieces with the closest coming for McMenamy on the stroke of half-time, but he was judged to have fouled his marker.

A big chance fell to Waterford on 54 minutes when Padraig Amond got space down the right before pulling the ball back looking for Shane Flynn, but Drogheda defender Elicha Ahui in a brilliant tackle to clear the danger.

It was Luke Dennison who came to his side's rescue with a stunning save a minute later when Horton sprayed the ball out to the right for Flynn, who turned inside onto his left foot, but his cracking effort was superbly tipped over the bar for another fruitless corner.

Flynn won a free-kick that saw skipper Ryan Brennan booked on the hour-mark, and it was Ben McCormack that tried his luck with an ambitious free-kick from the left, but Dennison produced a smart save to turn the ball around the near post.

Conor Kane went close for the visitors on 67 minutes with a cracking effort from 25 yards, but his attempt whistled inches wide of Sam Sargeant’s right-hand upright before Connor Parsons fizzed an effort over the bar at the other end a minute later as the game petered out.

Waterford FC: Sargeant; Power, Horton, Leahy, Burke; Pattisson, Baggley, McCormack, McMenamy (Glenfield 67), Flynn (Parsons 64); Amond.

Drogheda United: Dennison; Bolger, Ahul, Quinn, Kane (McNally 76), Webster; Markey, Brennan (Deegan 82), Heeney (Farrell 67); Foley (Davis 67), Taylor.

Referee: Gavin Colfer (Wicklow).

Attendance: 2030