Anthony McIntyre ⚽On the way to Tallaght Stadium I had little confidence that come the final whistle of their play-off against UCD, Drogheda United would still be in the top flight of Irish soccer.
Their descent throughout the season had been steady, their position in the Premiership looking precarious with one poor result after another.
Jay was back with us, so on the road to Dublin we got around to predictions. He felt Drogheda would win. Paddy agreed, expressing the view that the difference in quality between the two divisions was such that UCD would be unable to bridge the gap. I had a different take, forecasting a win after extra time on penalties for the Students. They had a good season compared to Drogheda and had nothing to lose. Drogheda had everything to lose and everything to play for, but in the end failed to play and deserved to lose.
There was no satisfaction in being proven right at the end of the match. Nothing to brag or banter about. Grumbles and groans was as much as I could muster. UCD so outplayed Drogheda that neither extra time nor penalties were needed. So down go the Drogs.
The pre-match pint in a hotel close to the stadium, briming with fans of both clubs, was the sweet spot of the day. The outcome of the game left a bitter taste in the mouth, unfortunately not the type caused by Nottingham ale.
The Students were two smart for the Claret and Blue and were deserving of their win, something acknowledged by Drogs boss Kevin Doherty in his post match interview: 'That was our fault today. We went out there today and didn't deserve to win the game.' Drogheda looked too passive at the start, playing the ball back and forth without venturing too far ahead of the backline. A strategy-deficient game of passing but not progressing, there was a cat and mouse feel to it. Slowly the Drogs began to dominate and when they scored through a Mark Doyle header it seemed that safety was secured. Maybe even as convincing a win as was achieved in the same ground against Bray Wanderers two years ago. It was a false dawn. Whereas it was the fans who should have relaxed, the players decided it was a privilege the goal had bestowed on them. The predictable happened. The Drogs reverted to being the Drogs and sat back. It was the turning point in the game at which the Drogs failed to turn, and in the end got turned over.
UCD who beat Bray in the playoff semi-final didn't come to Tallaght just to make up the numbers. When the numbers mattered they put a higher tally in the net than Drogheda did. The Students were out to show that the top of Division One was not just as good as the bottom of the Premiership but better. Both sides contributed to demonstrating the veracity of that.
UCD played with verve and confidence. Since their departure from the Premiership they have learned how to play out from the back, made all the easier by the Drogs not quite knowing how to press successfully. Some of the Students' long cross field passing was exquisite, switching play, taking out opposition players and carving space all in the same move.
The pre-match pint in a hotel close to the stadium, briming with fans of both clubs, was the sweet spot of the day. The outcome of the game left a bitter taste in the mouth, unfortunately not the type caused by Nottingham ale.
The Students were two smart for the Claret and Blue and were deserving of their win, something acknowledged by Drogs boss Kevin Doherty in his post match interview: 'That was our fault today. We went out there today and didn't deserve to win the game.' Drogheda looked too passive at the start, playing the ball back and forth without venturing too far ahead of the backline. A strategy-deficient game of passing but not progressing, there was a cat and mouse feel to it. Slowly the Drogs began to dominate and when they scored through a Mark Doyle header it seemed that safety was secured. Maybe even as convincing a win as was achieved in the same ground against Bray Wanderers two years ago. It was a false dawn. Whereas it was the fans who should have relaxed, the players decided it was a privilege the goal had bestowed on them. The predictable happened. The Drogs reverted to being the Drogs and sat back. It was the turning point in the game at which the Drogs failed to turn, and in the end got turned over.
UCD who beat Bray in the playoff semi-final didn't come to Tallaght just to make up the numbers. When the numbers mattered they put a higher tally in the net than Drogheda did. The Students were out to show that the top of Division One was not just as good as the bottom of the Premiership but better. Both sides contributed to demonstrating the veracity of that.
UCD played with verve and confidence. Since their departure from the Premiership they have learned how to play out from the back, made all the easier by the Drogs not quite knowing how to press successfully. Some of the Students' long cross field passing was exquisite, switching play, taking out opposition players and carving space all in the same move.
Both their goals were quality. First, a direct free quick around ten minutes before the break from the cultured boot of Ciarán Behan pulled them level, and in the second half a move that began when Drogheda gave away possession ended with a priceless man of the match Louis Dignam curled winner which guaranteed them premiership soccer for the first time in three years.
After that the Drogs huffed and puffed, desperate to take the game to extra time but they could not blow down the stout UCD defence. Ryan Brennan replaced Thomas Oluwa. What a strange decision. With nothing already up front kevin Doherty decided to multiply zero by two. There would only ever be one outcome. Brennan appearing in the Drogheda colours for the last time should have been inserted into the side within the first fifteen minutes of the second half, where he could have stamped his authority on a midfield, adding experience and grit. The opportunity was missed and with it a badly needed change in structure that might just have altered the outcome of the clash.
Kevin Doherty's post match assertion that his side was not absolutely awful all year will fall on deaf ears. It was absolutely awful enough of the time not to merit staying up. In what looked like a justifiable swipe at the owners he pointedly observed that the sides that finished above Drogheda had 'thrown a hell of a lot more at it than we have. And at some stage, it was going to come back to bite us.” There is something in that when it is considered that the teams with the least amount of financial clout behind them both went down. Trivela's Scrooge economics has ensured a miserable Christmas for the Claret and Blue.
On the way home I suggested to Paddy that at my age I want to watch good soccer rather than persevere with the dross that is served up almost fortnightly at Sullivan and Lambe. We could forego our season tickets for 2027 and just pay as we go to the big Dublin games. He was for considering that but by the following morning on the way to the FAI Cup final at the Aviva we had found our colours again. I even wore a Drogs hoodie and undershirt on the day. So come 2027 we will be there, and hoping Scrooge Trivela isn't. They could always try their luck at Maccabee Tel Aviv.
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