'It was scary' - Shane Farrell injury mars Bohs stalemate in Drogheda

Farrell required eight minutes of treatment after falling awkwardly to the pitch and was stretched off and taken to the nearby Lourdes hospital.

Shane Farrell of Drogheda United is taken from the pitch on a stretcher. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Premier Division: Drogheda United 0 Bohemians 0

Football took a back seat towards the end of this stalemate as thoughts turned to the wellbeing of Shane Farrell.

The substitute required eight minutes of treatment after falling awkwardly to the pitch and was stretched off and taken to the nearby Lourdes hospital.

It was a scene reminiscent of Sammie Szmodics in Prague last Thursday week and physio Danny Miller was involved with both Ireland and Bohs.

His hand signal to the paramedics of a cross was identical, prompting a rush to the scene and a bout of shock among both sets of players.

Drogheda manager Kevin Doherty provided a positive update on his players’s condition.

“Shane seems to be ok. I don't know exactly what happened.

“That's the most important thing because it was a scary few minutes for everyone. We're lucky the hospital is 30 seconds away.

“He was conscious coming off the pitch, had an oxygen mask on and is getting tests in hospital.

"To be fair to referee Paul Norton, he stopped it straight away. Fair play to him. We didn't know.

“He needed quick attention and he let me go on the pitch.

"I don't know if I've dealt with something like that before. It was scary."

Given the run of play, suspended Bohs manager Alan Reynolds, sitting in the stand, will be glad of the point despite it allowing St Patrick’s Athletic leapfrog them to the summit.

Drogs came into the game having won just two of their opening eight matches but buoyed from holding the two pre-season favourites, Shamrock Rovers and Derry City, to draws.

Within the vacuum of the international came the off-field development of co-chair Joanna Byrne being formally removed by owners Trivela. 

The American-based multi-club operation belatedly decided that Ms Byrne’s day job as the Sinn Féin TD for Louth cause a conflict of interest.

Their recent review followed an opinion expressed by her that Ireland should boycott the Nations League fixtures against Israel on account of being found to be have committed genocide in Palestine.

Ms Byrne’s parting shot branded Trivela’s action as “an underhand move, initiated in the dark of the night, which was planned and co-ordinated without any consultation with me.

“This is symptomatic of the way they do business.” 

 While the Drogheda fanbase appeared sympathetic to the lifelong fan, talk of protests proved inaccurate.

They were in full voice throughout, bringing colour to proceedings with their firework display, but didn’t engage in chants criticising the company that has pumped €3m into the club since their takeover at the end of 2023. 

“No pyro, no party,” they sang, disregarding the fine likely on its way from the FAI.

Manager Kevin Doherty spoke of the initial spat in February affecting his sleep and diet but he had much to chew on to stem a Bohemians team that had set the pace since the start of the season.

They thought they had started to within four minutes when a golden opportunity was presented.

Hesitation by Bohs defender Senan Mullen near the halfway line created a gap to counter and Mark Doyle sprinted clear. 

All he required was a composed finish but the striker who rejoined the club following a year in the USA lifted the ball over the crossbar with goalkeeper Kacper Chorążka beaten.

It would unfurl into a half of spurned opportunities from point-black range.

Bohs squandered a pair, three minutes apart, approaching the break – the first by Dawson Devoy.

The captain was still smarting from being booked for a foul he disputed on Conor Kane when he broke from his own half at pace.

Devoy complied with the coaching manual by slaloming across goal but what he didn’t bank on was Edwin Agbaje scampering back to launch himself into a crucial block.

If that was wasteful, then Colm Whelan trumped it. Agbaje was the culprit rather than hero on this occasion, his tame backpass enabling the Kilkenny native to burst free unattended.

There was no defender to catch him but Drogs could rely on Luke Dennison to stay tall in advancing and smothering the shot.

Drogs had their chances in the first half too, with Brandon Kavanagh’s curling free-kick, awarded right on the edge of the box, batted away by the Polish goalkeeper. James Bolger also nodded over from close range following a goalmouth scramble.

There was nothing in the second half to mirror that drama. Doyle’s stooped header from a Warren Davis cutback on the hour caused some alarm but the main concern arose following the clash of heads.

Deep into stoppage time, Bohs sub Sadou Diallo unleashed a shot that Dennison turned over but the attention from all involved turned to Farrell’s welfare from an incident that overshadowed proceedings.

DROGHEDA UTD: L Dennison; J Bolger, C Keeley, A Quinn; E Agbaje, E O’Brien, J Godden, C Kane; B Kavanagh (S Farrell 71 – R Brennan 90); W Davis, M Doyle (T Oluwa 82).

BOHEMIANS: K Chorążka; D Power, P Hickey, S Todd, S Mullen (S Diallo 82); A McDonnell (C Parsons 76), J Flores; Z Meyers, D Devoy, R Tierney (H Vaughan 82); C Whelan.

Referee: Paul Norton.