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Showing posts with label FAI Cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FAI Cup. Show all posts
Anthony McIntyre ⚽ The Drogs cruised through the opening game in their campaign to defend the FAI Cup they won last season.  

There were no surprises, no giant killing by the minnows. Crumlin, from the Leinster Senior League, tried valiantly but in the end a superior Drogheda United was simply too strong for the battling Dublin side who went down to a high five blitz from the cup holders.

The five of us, sober as judges (on that rare occasion when judges are sober) and anything but high, travelled over in Paddy's car. The usual three of myself, Paddy and Jay with Ronan and his girlfriend making up the quintet. The latter two are currently in Poland so I guess even last night's victory away to Bohemians in the league will be the furthest thing from their mind.  It wasn't a difficult one for Jay to call - a routing by the Drogs although a fortnight on I don't remember the exact score line that he predicted. However, I think he plumped for a five goal affair with the Drogs getting four of them. 

In this one the home side were slow to get off the mark, leaving it almost until the stroke of half time before delivering a sucker punch from Conor Keeley to the midriff of the visitors. Prior to that Luke Dennison had to be on the alert as Reece Kavanagh and Calum Bridgeman constantly probed the Drogheda defensive line in search of something that might unlock the wall of claret and blue in front of them. If Crumlin thought after their first half performance that they could get a result from the game their hopes were deftly swept aside with a scorching strike from Thomas Oluwa, which found the top of the net, nudged there with the aid of a slight deflection. The fight went out of Crumlin after that like air out of a balloon. The Drogs were in control, moving the ball at their leisure. Josh Thomas (last night's hero at Dalymount Park), John O’Sullivan and Darragh Markey all helped complete the rout.


Despite the 5-0 thrashing, Crumlin's man of the match must go to Morgan Daly in goal whose efforts made sure the margin of victory was kept well away from double figures. One effort he blocked, from Drogs captain Ryan Brennan, would have won him plaudits had it been pulled off in the English Premier League. Unfortunately an injury late into the second half was enough to see him substituted. He might have left the field in pain but few could deny him the sense of pride that was his due. 

I met Tony on the way out and commiserated with him on the death of his wife. A dedicated Drog, his loss was acknowledged in the minute prior to kickoff when the stadium stood in one minute silence in memory of Tracy. 

The next round will be a different matter. Up against Derry at the Brandywell, the Candy Stripes will be burning for revenge, striving to reward their fans with payback for their Aviva final loss last year. If the Drogs make it through to the next round then the Aviva in November will start to look more than a remote possibility. 
 
⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.

Drogs ⚽ Crumlin ⚽ High Five

Anthony McIntyre ⚽ Athlone Town AFC might have been spared from a hung and drawn experience but the quartering that befell them was ruthlessly executed.


The travelling Drogs put four past Athlone on their home turf, securing victory by the time the opposition scored with a late penalty.

The journey to Athlone Town Stadium was a long one: two hours it took myself, Paddy and J to complete and roughly the same to get home again, stumbling across the portal just short of midnight to hungrily poke around the leftovers from my wife's order-in which luckily Ronan did not get to before me despite coming in from his second shift of the day just ahead of me. We all agreed that the Drogs should win and reach their first semi-final in 11 years. Then, they made it to the Aviva only to cruelly see defeat snatched from the jaws of victory in the dying minutes of the final.

Athlone Town Stadium is in better nick that Weavers Park. Then, all the grounds I have visited to watch the Drogs could boast that. A new stadium with a modern layout would be a huge shot to the arm of soccer in the town, so speed the day. One quaint feature of the stadium last night was that it has only one side, where both sets of supporters congregate. There is something of a visual oddity to it, given that we are accustomed to gazing across at the opposition.


If there were many Athlone fans in attendance last night, sitting to the far right (not the horrible hateful kind) of the stadium, we didn't hear them. Our Ultras took centre stage, large and loud. There was quite a sizeable turn out of support for Drogheda, which should say something about the passion for the team in this town. My neighbour and his son joined us for the second half, they too having made the same trek, and probably now wanting to hear themselves talk suitably distanced from the din of the beloved Ultras.  

Just after taking my seat, as sometimes pleasingly happens, I was approached by a fan who shook hands and told me he enjoyed the pieces I craft after each of the games I watch. I commented to Paddy that it is always a nice gesture when that happens.

Once settled, Paddy drew my attention to the pitch - AstroTurf. The daunting thought made its presence felt: this might be an advantage to the home side. It being a cup game, where the underdog can put manners on the favourites, I was no longer so sure. 

As dusk started to descend I wondered if my decision to wear only a cardigan as an outer garment was a prudent call.  Fortunately, I was not attacked by the chill. Nevertheless, no more braving it out from here on in. I will use the dedicated winter jacket I bought for matches.

Within three minutes my fears about an upset were allayed as Athlone opted to push their weight around, taking a yellow card in the process. If the game plan was to bully from the get go, as it seemed, my confidence grew that the brain of Kevin Doherty and his players would prove too powerful for the brawn being thrust out from Athlone. A second yellow was to follow in the ninth minute, which reassured me even more: when the decisive moment came there would be a hesitancy from the booked players to commit. The safety barrier between those yellow carded and an early bath had been whipped away by their own overzealousness in the tackle. 

Two minutes later the Drogs were a goal ahead courtesy of a terrible mix up in the Athlone defence. Harried by Frantz Pierrot, confusion reigned allowing the ever ready Douglas James-Taylor to poke the ball into the onion bag. 

On the twenty minute mark Pierrot, whose overall performance was good, squandered a great opportunity to put the Drogs two up, cutting inside when he should have taken the shot. In the  26th minute his rasping effort came off the woodwork. 

At this point the old nagging doubt began to burrow its way in: the Drogs were not turning their dominance into goals, and a sucker punch might be waiting. As the sides went in, with one goal separating them, we were not over confident. 

Relaxation came minutes after the restart which saw the Drogs go two up with a headed rebound, again from DJT. Go for the hattrick, was the noise being manufactured in the vocal chords of the fans close to me.

Goal number three came from the sweet boot of Ryan Brennan. A survivor from the 2013 Aviva defeat, his glorious free kick alone made the long journey worthwhile. Delivered with the same panache as his goal line clearance against Shamrock Rovers, the semifinal tickets were being printed in my mind with Drogheda United emblazoned across them. 

Adam Foley completed the quartering of Athlone Town with an individual effort that took him past defenders as if they were men of straw. It would have been goal of the match but for that Brennan strike. 

Close to the finish, when on paper it didn't much matter, Jack Keaney walked the red plank after fouling a goal-bound opponent. The worrying thing about that is that it is the second red card in two games, suggesting that Kevin Doherty needs to curb that sense of abandonment which is creeping in at points in the game where all caution to the wind is not justified.  

As we piled out of the stadium to an Athlone chill we soon warmed up on hearing that Dundalk had lost to Waterford in the league, making their tenure in the Premier Division even more precarious and the Drogs a little more assured. A good night had suddenly become a great one. 

⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.

Athlone ⚽ Drogs ⚽ Quartered

Anthony McIntyre ⚽ They came. They saw. They wilted. 


Wilton were hoping to do what had not been accomplished since 2021 when non-league Maynooth University Town in the same competition beat First Division Cobh Ramblers 3-2 to reach the quarter finals. It wasn't in the stars this time for the Cork based side from the Munster Senior League.

You have to feel sorry for the visitors this morning as they reflect on and recover from last night's heavy defeat at Weavers Park. Wilton United were simply not at the races in this third round Irish Cup clash.

Their coach Eddie McCarthy had said before the game that he had hoped the magic of the cup would result in a victory for his side. Unfortunately, for him and much to the delight of the Drogheda fans, the side from the Munster Senior League were unable to produce a monster performance. It was not to be a night for giant killers, just one where the giant ruthlessly took its opponent to pieces and spat out the bits it didn't want to swallow, leaving Wilton to swallow their pride.

Drogheda are now through to the quarter finals and they might hope for the magic of the cup to favour them, allowing a return to the Aviva after an absence of 11 years.

Eddie McCarthy was not wrong to appeal to the magic but as god said to Isaac when he complained about not winning the lotto again, you have to buy a ticket. Wilton simply did not field a side capable of competing and this was pretty much reflected in the scoreline, the largest deficit I have witnessed during my time attending Drogheda United games. A club record. The closest I have come to such a spectacle was in 2013 over a Longford Town outfit featuring Keith Gillespie, once of Manchester United and Newcastle, in the then EA Sports Cup. One reporter summed up that game concisely and without sentiment: 'Drogheda Utd were good and clinical in front of goal while Longford Town were dreadful and didn’t compete at all.'

Much the same can be said of Wilton who, just into their season, looked unfit and off the pace. Some of the players were carrying bellies which slowed them down when trying to chase a slick group of Drogs who passed their way though midfield and defence time out of number. The visitors for most of the game were parked in their own half but there was no blue bus blocking the goal, just a back line much like blue cheese, and as porous as. When they got into the Drogs' half it seemed they needed oxygen masks. 

Just the three of us made the journey over in the car, Paddy, J and myself. Ronan preferred the pub with his mates, which at 19 has jewels to pluck that are not to be found in soccer stadia. They had all returned from Greece last week and the desire to wet the whistle has not yet been quenched. A friend told me to enjoy my hip flask but that no longer makes the journey. I'm on the Zeros until the November cup final. Earlier I had got my beard trimmed and hair cut by Dom Wilton in the excellent Green Man barber shop. Paddy quipped what chance two Wilton's in the one day! Dom at least took my hair, whereas Wilton FC left with nothing. 

We took our seats closer to the Cross Lanes entrance which would provide us with a close view of the Wilton goal area in the second half. With two penalties converted by James-Taylor early into the game, I commented to Paddy that if Drogheda go too far ahead too early, they might take their foot off the pedal, and we would be denied a close up of scores in the second half. Fortunately it was not to be. Before twenty two minutes had passed James-Taylor had completed his hattrick, a feat emulated by Bridel Bosakani in the second half. The Drogs left the pitch at half time four up. Ryan Brennan, the saviour from Tallaght, adding to the scoreline.

Just onto the pitch for the second half the Drogs continued much as they had started, with Frantz Pierrot and Andrew Quinn both netting goals before the Bosakani hattrick. 

The Drogs simply overwhelmed the opposition. They were fitter and faster, better composed and more compact, immeasurably ahead tactically and more strategically adroit. Well in front by the time Gary Deegan came on to huge applause, his passion for an even greater scoreline was on full display when he tongue lashed recent acquisition from West Brom, Aaron Harper-Bailey, for not making the pass he had urged. 


Wilton can be thankful for small mercies - no fans appear to have turned up to watch their implosion on a night where paradoxically their goalie could stake a claim to have been their best player. He alone prevented the Drogheda goal tally reaching double figures. Drogheda is a long way from a Cork home just to get a punishment beating. 

For the older Drogs fans it became all a bit too predictable while the younger ones will leave feeling bloated on a goal-fest. On average the Drogs managed a goal every ten minutes. A rare event at Weavers Park or anywhere else in the Premier division. 

Let's not be too harsh on Wilton. They don't play in the same rarified stratosphere where the Drogs battle week in week out. A nightmare that hopefully will not trouble them again. And they can take solace from the fact that they ply their trade many depths beneath Drogheda, unlike Bournemouth who while in the same league as Liverpool went down 9-0 two seasons ago at Anfield.

⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.

Drogs ⚽ Wilton ⚽ Nine

Anthony McIntyre ⚽ This promised to be a grudge game. 


The Drogs were going into the cup clash against Louth rivals Dundalk fresh just out of a crushing 4-2 defeat in the league last week at Oriel Park which has left the Weavers men floundering at the bottom of the table, five points behind Dundalk and almost certain to be playing lower division football next season. Seems to me they have as much chance of avoiding the drop as Joe Biden has of winning the upcoming US presidential election. 

Tensions spilt onto the field last week when the same teams met in the league as fans engaged in hand-to-hand fighting on the pitch at Oriel Park, the away supporters venting their frustration at their gloating neighbours whose victory looks pretty much like a red card, terminating the Drogs' place among the elite sides of Irish soccer. A neighbour who usually attends with his children told me yesterday that he would not go to last night's fixture as he didn't want his son exposed to any repeat of last weeks scenes. I could sympathise with that.

On our way to the ground we noticed a sizable Public Order Unit presence. An Garda, it seemed, were not going to let this get out of control. 

Our gang of four - which is more often a trio depending on my son's choices on the day - turned out for this one. We arrived early enough but were unable to get our usual seats such was the demand for a ringside view of the clash. Other fans had arrived even earlier. I wondered what the match would look like through clear eyes - for the first time I had gone without the obligatory hip flask, opting to stay off the swall until the cup final in November when the gang of four will reassemble for a day on the tear, J excepted, being too young. He will still be there but on the lemonade. No matter who makes the final - and it won't be Dundalk - we four intend to be there. 


Sitting in our seats a young man approached and told me he enjoyed the TPQ columns on the matches. I appreciated that. At least somebody reads us! I think he belongs to the Ultras, the loud but loyal fans of Drogheda United.  And they found their voice last night.    

Just before kick off a moment's applause was held for the young player Zara Murphy who died so tragically while playing the sport she loved, turning out for Termonfeckin Celtic FC under-14 team. As the first effort was partially drowned out by the Ultras in a world of their own singing, we went at it again. This time there was much greater compliance. It was buoying to witness both sets of fans and players applaud the late teenager.
 
A call came over the tannoy for no flares or smoke bombs. It galvanised both sets of fans into producing an arsenal of the stuff. Smoke filled the air and one of the flares from the Dundalk end landed on the pitch. 


The game had only started when Frantz Pierrot trying to carry a ball out of defence lost it, giving the Drogheda fans a fright. Fortunately, the shot from the Dundalk forward was of the type that a condemned man would gladly see the shooter in his firing squad. 

A Drogheda free kick produced a fine save from the keeper, but on the fifteen minute mark the home side went in front. James Bolger on his debut chipped the keeper who managed to fumble his catch. When Warren Davis netted a second after half time courtesy of calamity in the Dundalk defence, it seemed the Drogs were on the home straight, and clearances from a well organised Drogheda back line were keeping the visitors at bay. I managed to get hit on head by the ball after it had played pinball in the crowd  - first time that has happened at a soccer game.


When it was announced that there were five minutes added time I breathed a sigh of relief, despite thinking it a bit long, commenting to Paddy 'that's it.' The game should have been over but it wasn't. Again, as has happened so often this year,  a lapse of concentration cost the Drogs who conceded a silly goal from Bobby Faulkner. Another  keeper error. That made for a very tense few minutes as the home side tried to run the clock down and the fans screamed vitriol at every decision for Dundalk. In the end, the Drogs held on. Having conceded thirteen goals in the previous four outings, it would have been reassuring had this well composed defence held the line. 

A replenished team with five players making their debut there is a lot of catching up to do. But for now the Drogs are through to the next round of the cup. 

Revenge is sweet. 

⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.

Drogs ⚽ Dundalk ⚽ Revenge

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