Drogheda remain unbeaten
Four games into the new League of Ireland season and all is going well for Drogheda Utd’s new manager Robbie Horgan as the Robinstown, Navan resident sees his team sit in third place after last night’s 1-1 draw with Derry City in front of a crowd of around 1,000 spectators.
Three games in the Premier unbeaten and a EA Sports Cup win over Crumlin has Drogheda ticking over nicely. Drogheda will host Shamrock Rovers in the second round of the EA Sports Cup on Monday 5th May.
“A good start to the season, but performance-wise we can definitely improve, it’s great to be unbeaten so far, but I know there’s more in the team and the focus now is on next weekend’s game against Limerick,” Horgan told the Meath Chronicle this morning.
“Gary O’Neill and Cathal Brady both played key roles last night against Derry, we had to shuffle the team around a bit before the start and we had to work hard to get the point,” he added.
Last night at United Park Dunboyne man Cathal Brady and Ashbourne resident Gary O’Neill both featured again as Drogheda looked to be heading for victory from Michael Daly’s 46th minute goal, but Derry levelled in the closing stages.
Both Kealan Dillon (fromer Athboy under-age) and Barry Clancy (Enfield) started for Athlone Town who are still looking for their first win after conceding a late winner against UCD at the Bowl last night where the attendance was about 200.
Trim man David O’Connor is still on the Shamrock Rovers injured list, but the Hoops won at Dalymount Park last night by 3-1 in front of an estimated crowd of close to 5,000.
FIRST DIVISION
In the First Division Dylan Connolly, who played under-age for Navan club Johnstown and representative football for the North Eastern Counties Schoolboys’ League, scored for Shelbourne in a 3-3 draw at Tolka Park against Waterford Utd.
TODAY
Today in the Irish League Navan man Aaron Shanahan will be lining out for Ballymena against Glenavon.
In the League of Ireland St Pat’s play Limerick at Richmond Park (RTE 3.15) and tonight Bohermeen man Gary Rogers will be hoping for an improved perfromance from Sligo Rovers (last week lost to Bray) when they tackle Dundalk at The Showgrounds, 7.45.
EA SPORTS CUP
Second round - Wexford v Cobh, Cork City v Waterford; Sligo Rovers v Derry City, Galway v Finn Harps; Bray v Dundalk, Drogheda v Shamrock Rovers; Bohemians v St Pat’s, Longford Town v Mervue.
TELEVISION THIS WEEK
MONDAY 24th MARCH
SETANTA SPORTS CUP
Semi-Final First Leg: Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk, Tallaght Stadium, 8pm (Live on Setanta Ireland 7:30)
Soccer Republic 11.05pm, RTE 2.
TUESDAY 25th MARCH
Semi-Final First Leg: Sligo Rovers v St Patrick’s Athletic, The Showgrounds, 8pm (Live on Setanta Ireland 7:30)
UEFA U-17 CHAMPIONSHIP - SERBIA
Meath teenagers Adam McDonnell (Dunboyne) and Georgie Poynton (Bettystown) will be in Republic of Ireland u-17 team for the Elite Phase of the UEFA u-17 Championship this coming week in Serbia.
Manager Tom Mohan, a former North Eastern Counties Schoolboys’ League player, was pleased with performances two weeks ago against Austria in two friendly games.
The Republic of Ireland will play Serbia on Wednesday 26th March (2.0 Irish time), Germany (Friday 28th March 2.0) and Georgia (Monday 31st March 2.0).
LEAGUE OF IRELAND TABLES
PREMIER
TEAM P W D L GD Pts
Shamrock Rovers 3 2 1 0 5 7
Cork City 3 2 1 0 3 7
Drogheda Utd 3 1 2 0 3 5
Bohemians 3 1 1 1 1 4
St. Pats Ath 2 1 1 0 1 4
Bray Wanderers 3 1 1 1 -1 4
Sligo Rovers 2 1 0 1 0 3
Dundalk 2 1 0 1 -2 3
U.C.D 3 1 0 2 -3 3
Derry City 3 0 2 1 -1 2
Limerick 2 0 1 1 -1 1
Athlone Town 3 0 0 3 -5 0
FIRST DIVISION
Finn Harps 3 2 1 0 8 7
Shelbourne 3 2 1 0 3 7
Longford Town 3 2 0 1 1 6
Waterford Utd 3 0 3 0 0 3
Wexford Youths 3 1 0 2 -2 3
Galway FC 3 0 2 1 -1 2
Shamrock B 3 0 2 1 -3 2
Cobh Ramblers 3 0 1 2 -6 1
Conall Collier