Drogs and Galway stay unbeaten after sharing spoils

Killian Brouder of Galway United in action against Warren Davis of Drogheda United. Photo by Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Drogheda United 1 Galway United 1

United’s Drogheda and Galway shared the points and maintained their respective unbeaten starts to the season in an entertaining draw at Sullivan & Lambe Park.

Ryan Brennan’s first half goal looked to have set the hosts on the way to both victory and the Premier Division summit.

Drogheda have picked up this season as they finished off last and despite Killian Brouder’s equaliser are three games unbeaten at the start of this campaign.

Kevin Doherty’s side had yet to concede a goal until the centre back’s intervention. That meant that Galway too are yet to taste defeat after three rounds. Few could argue this was a fair outcome.

Once Brennan headed in shortly before the break, Galway’s task became all the more difficult. United do not ship goals cheaply these days and John Caulfield will have known his team had their work cut out to get level.

While Bobby Burns and Patrick Hickey both went close in the first half, they didn’t manage to work goalkeeper Luke Dennison enough after the break in their attempts to force the equaliser.

Burns’ volley from Jeannot Esua’s cross had Drogs’ hearts in mouth for a brief moment. Hickey forced a save from the goalkeeper with a shot from just outside the area.

Brennan’s goal came after good work from Warren Davis – in for the injured Josh Thomas – and Shane Farrell. Conor Kane stood a cross up to the back post and skipper Brennan arrived on cue to head beyond Brendan Clarke.

That leveller did arrive, however, with Galway on terms in the 75th minute. From Burns’ corner, Killian Brouder connected met it at the back post. His shot found the roof of the net.

The Tribesmen had Jeannot Esua and Patrick Hickey to thank as much as anyone for their parity. Early in the second half, the duo produced two blocks in quick succession to deny Conor Keeley a seemingly certain second.

The visitors pressed more in the latter stages but a winner was beyond them. There wasn’t much between the sides in truth.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Dennison; Quinn, Keeley, Bolger; Lambe (Cooper, 87), Farrell, Brennan (Heeney, 87), Kane; Markey; Bawa (Oluwa, 81), Davis.

GALWAY UNITED: Clarke; Slevin, Brouder, Cunningham; Esua, Hickey, Hurley (Borden, 46), Keohane (Byrne, 46), Burns (Donelon, 81); Walsh (McCarthy, 71), Dyer (Tollett, 58).

Referee: Eoghan O’Shea