Drogs ⚽ Derry ⚽ Delight

Anthony McIntyre ⚽ Bluntly, few expected Drogheda to emerge with all three points from this one.

Even the usually confident J, on the journey over in the car where much pre-match analysis is conducted, predicted a 1-1 draw. Despite only one win from seven at Weavers, the candy stripes are serious title contenders and were expected to preserve their position in the league with unflinching determination.

On the way into the ground I met a steward who once told me he enjoyed these pieces. We chatted for a minute before I rushed off to secure my seat. He said he would settle for a draw and went on to explain the challenges presented by a team with so many players who were not full time. In the short time I spoke to him he seemed quite knowledgeable about the club, and I tended to agree with both he and J - a draw would be great. My parting comment was that it would be very disheartening after the performance against Bohs the Friday before if the Drogs were to emerge from the subsequent two games with only one point.

On the night they proved determined not to, and in the end bagged all three to the delight of their supporters. With Dundalk having fallen to defeat against Bohs, a gap of eight points now separates the two Louth sides at the bottom of the table with only four matches left to play. All but a miracle, which I don't believe in, can prevent Dundalk from taking the plunge. Ryan Brennan is surely right in saying it would be foolish to think that at this point the Bohs can be caught, which means Drogheda will have to fight it out in the play off. That is a much preferable position to be in than the automatic relegation staring Weavers Park in the face earlier in the season before Kevin Doherty managed to turn things around. And on current form few would bet against the claret and blue.

But it is not a time to proclaim bragging rights over our county neighbours. Dundalk have been in serious difficulty both on and off the pitch, and in recent days lost one of the their most devoted fans, Maxi Kavanagh, who died after a short illness. In such times, soccer rivalry is replaced by soccer solidarity. We are all fans and on such a sad occasion Maxi becomes one of us rather than one of them. Anthony Kimmins summed it up poignantly: 'Maxi valued friendships over rivalries.'

Derry City was the first team I ever saw play at the Oval in East Belfast as I started out on my childhood journey as a Glentoran fan. Then, it was safe enough for the side to play in the Northern league but as the violent political conflict took grip that no longer proved to be so. After the Windsor Park Irish cup final in April 1971, in which Martin O'Neill scored twice, the Distillery fans escorted the Derry fans out of the stadium and through the maze of streets leading to the main thoroughfare of the Donegal Road, to ensure they could get home safely. Distillery fans were familiar with the area whereas Derry fans were not. Bricks and bottles flew over the heads of the RUC who were separating the supporters from the attackers. There was not much the Distillery fans could do to prevent that but they were determined that there would be no stragglers in strange streets. They afforded Derry fans the safety of the herd.

Seated between my neighbour and Paddy, I was pleased that in the first twenty minutes the Drogs held their own, unlike Monday night's encounter with Galway where they were on the backfoot before settling. Paddy, a seasoned observer of form, said there was nothing about this Derry side that the Weavers men could not cope with, adding that the visitors might make the journey home with no points. My neighbour concurred. The home side probed and pushed, finishing the half strongly, having momentarily allowed Derry to bounce back.

Sixteen minutes after the restart, Drogs took the lead. Andre Wisdom must now know how, towards the end of last season, Liverpool's Jarell Quansah felt when he made a poor pass to a teammate which was intercepted by a Manchester United player, leading to a goal that effectively killed off Liverpool's title run. Bitter irony as Liverpool is a team Wisdom previously turned out for. Once Douglas James-Taylor, seized on the wayward pass and sent Frantz Pierrot on his way with a great through ball, the Haitian international did not squander his opportunity.

Ten minutes later that lead had doubled, Pierrot again finishing off a well worked combination from Ryan Brennan and DJT. But for an unfortunate Andrew Quinn late own goal, about which he could do little, the fans might have seen the game out in much more relaxed fashion. But as so often happens with the Drogs, they kept us on tenterhooks until the final whistle. It was not that they held on, instead taking the game to Derry, allowing the candy stripes no space to fashion a serious attempt at a comeback. In the end, two great finishes from Frantz Pierrot but ultimately this was a team effort.

Points secure, the chant that rang out at Dalymount Park seven days earlier was audible again: Going down, are we fuck - We are gonna win the cup.

The defeat for Derry has adverse consequences for their title hopes. If they are lucky, they will reach the last day of the season still able to overtake Shelbourne who they meet in their final game at the Brandywell. It's a big ask.

Facing into their four remaining matches and a semi-final against Wexford next Sunday, beaten only once in eleven matches in all competitions, the Drogs have cause to be confident but not complacent.

⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.