Drogs ⚽ Dundalk ⚽ Derby Draw

Anthony McIntyre ⚽Local pride alone was resting on last night's Louth derby between Drogheda United and Dundalk.

The result, no matter the scoreline, would change nothing on this earth. Drogheda would still be in the play offs and Dundalk relegated. What mattered most was not the result but that all players returned safely to base, mission accomplished. In the end a scoreless draw was probably the best outcome of a match that will be remembered less for its entertainment value and more for the bragging rights it conferred on the Drogheda fans which they claimed in full voice.

For Dundalk, their season is over and the Drogheda Ultras reminded their fans and players alike that they were 'going down, going down.' For the Drogs, there is a real sense that the season is just about to begin. Certainly the business end of it. A cup final in eight days time followed by a play off six days later has created a buzz of excitement about the town. The gang of four who will be attending both final and play off made the journey over to Weavers last night, our three season tickets used up one last time before making their way to the memento box. Ronan doesn't have a season ticket as he can't always make the games. J, a veteran of the matches by this stage and a proud season ticket holder, made his prediction in the car. 2-0 to the Drogs.

Traffic was as heavy as it has been in years, so we took a circuitous route which probably extended our journey time rather than shortened it. When we finally approached our destination, Nationalists Ireland, or Natsis for short, were out pushing their poison. Herman Kelly put in an appearance but fortunately I did not get to see him. The thought never occurred to him to go up to the Brandywell in his home town where Derry City were playing Shelbourne in a title clincher. Then again, his loyalty has always been to those who carried out the Bloody Sunday massacre and not to the people of Derry.

As a result of traffic congestion, rather than arriving in the stadium an hour before kick off as we normally do, we hit our seats with about fifteen minutes to spare. Almost at the halfway line and in the second row from the pitch, the only downside were the kids that stand up on the perimeter wall, obstructing the view. Some of the seniors among the fans were irritable at this, howling at the youngsters each time their heads arose above the parapet. A steward cleared the view but it can be like playing Whac-A-Mole. Kids will be kids and the solution is get in early and grab seats further back where the elevation is higher.

It was hard to get het up about the game with so little depending on it, although Ronan tried his best, howling at the referee for some of the decisions he made. My advice to chill was frozen out of his mind as he continued to berate. How much attention was actually paid by the fans in general is a moot point: this was brought home to me when the goalkeeper, Luck Dennison, was substituted a half time. When his replacement, Andrew Wogan, made an intervention the Ultras started chanting USA, USA. But that is reserved solely for the American keeper, not Wogan. It was that sort of night. When it ended, Drogheda fans swarmed onto the pitch in appreciation of their team and in acknowledgement of the herculean effort the players and coaching staff put in to come back from the dead earlier in the season.

Dundalk had the best of the opening exchanges without seriously threatening the Drogheda goal. The most memorable takeaway of the evening was a Dundalk effort crashing off the cross bar in the second half. Taken in the round, the visitors probably created more chances and were arguably the better side. But for Drogheda, getting through the night with no injury concerns was victory in itself.

Much of our attention was drawn to our phones as we followed the progress in the title deciders. For about 85 minutes it looked as if Shamrock Rovers would secure their fifth successive title. 2-1 in front on home turf against Waterford, their rivals for the title, Shelbourne, seemed to be shell shocked by the big occasion, struggling away to Derry. That all ended when Harry Wood tucked a ball into the net. securing a first title for the Shels in eighteen years, bringing to an end the dominance of Tallaght men. At the expense of sounding disloyal, that result mattered more to me than the one being played out before my eyes. It's the title, stupid.

The hope now has to be that Drogs don't meet Dundalk next season in the league - if that happens something will have gone terribly wrong.

Meanwhile, after months on the dry the mouth is watering at the prospect of a day long session next Sunday. Win or lose, on the final whistle my own whistle will have been well wetted by Tequila.

⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.