Oh Boh! Stalemate as Drogheda's youth cede top spot in Tier One
Oh Boh! Stalemate as Drogheda's youth cede top spot in Tier One
Drogheda United 0-0 Bohemians, EA Sports League of Ireland Men's Under 20 Tier One, Drogheda Institute of Further Education, 21/09/24
For the first time in the Elite Phase of this season’s Under 20 league, Drogheda United will finish a round of fixtures looking up the table as opposed to perched at its summit.
Gavin Fleming’s side could not find a winner against a Bohemians side coached by Trevor Croly at Drogheda Institute of Further Education. The result means the Drogs are without a win in three league games now, following consecutive defeats on the road to Cork City and St Patrick’s Athletic.
The Saints also disposed of United in the Enda McGuill Cup, before they themselves were beaten by Sligo Rovers last week. The young Drogs well and truly find themselves in a sticky patch now, results wise. By way of comparison, they had won 15 of their 19 matches - losing just one - prior to this downturn.
There are still five games to play - with trips to UCD, the team who went top today, and Shamrock Rovers to come as well as home fixtures against Wexford, Waterford and Stephen Elliott’s Saints. It’s all to play for and if Drogheda can rediscover some of that match-winning ability in the weeks to come, they may get just reward for an eye-catching campaign.
Both Bridel Bosakani and James Byrne were on duty for Kevin Doherty’s first team at Dalymount Park the night before but having been kept in reserve for the duration of a memorable and hard fought victory, they were pressed into service against the young Gypsies on Saturday morning.
With Killian Cailloce preferred in the centre forward position, Bosakani was stationed on the right wing for the most part. The 20-year-old from Sligo has hit 11 goals for the Under 20s this term, to go with his six for the first-team. His chance to add to that tally arrived at the mid point of the second half. Having stolen the ball from centre back Calum Doyle-Travers, the striker race towards Rian Hogan’s goal. He chose not to strike with his left foot; instead cutting onto his right and when the shot arrived, a covering defender was close enough to block.
When Drogheda began their Elite Phase campaign in the return fixture at the Oscar Traynor Centre in July, a dominant performance was not necessarily reflected in the 2-0 winning margin. It was a different story this time around.
Bohemians began the game well, to their credit. Finn Moore saved point blank from towering striker Nickson Okosun and after Billy Gilmore laid the ball off for Rhys Brennan, Osaze Irhue got his considerable frame in the path of his goal bound shot.
James Byrne, the home side’s standout player as is becoming a regular occurrence, had Drogheda’s only glimpse of goal in the opening stages. The midfielder picked up the ball in midfield and powered past Shane Tracey before firing a shot that was fiercely struck but comfortably within the goalkeeper’s reach.
Byrne will be the next off production line at Drogheda United. His breakthrough to Kevin Doherty’s first team is not a question of if, but when. And what an impact he will make when he does. The former St Pat’s man is all-action but his dynamism is no substitute for technical ability.
He has it all in abundance and while those inside the club are reluctant to talk him up too much, those familiar with his displays at Under 20 level and in his brief first team appearances to date need no convincing. Gary Deegan, a hard man to please by all accounts, is a fan.
Okosun just failed to connect properly with a loose ball from a Bohs free kick, allowing Moore to grasp and Manny Milongo - deployed at right back with Evan Haddock starting the game in the middle - hauled down Hugh Smith after good link-up play by Okosun. Mercifully, nothing came of the free kick.
United tested Hogan when Conall Cronin ended a fine move with a low shot. The 18-year-old dived low to his left to claim.
Referee Umre Akkilic booked Doyle-Travers for dissent soon after, awarding the Drogs an indirect free kick inside the penalty area in the process. It’s a lesser seen act these days. And the same can be said for teams shutting out Drogheda this season. Only three times have United failed to score in all competitions. With Cailloce and Bosakani in the side, it’s little wonder why.
After Hogan scooped the excellent Callum Warren’s shot to safety, Sean McCarthy recycled the ball. His cross fell on Bosakani’s head but his connection wasn’t clean and Cailloce’s attempt to force in the loose ball was similar. At the other end, Jordan Hough’s effort posed a question, if a simple enough one, of Moore.
The second half took a while to ignite and when it did, it was a slow burner in any case. Okosun had the first opportunity of any description, finding space in the penalty area but blazing a shot high and wide. Substitute Markuss Strods was off-target too moments later before the Drogs sprang to life.
A superb passing move ending in Bosakani pulling the ball back to Warren at the edge of the area. He took a touch but shot over. Then came Bosakani’s chance. He’d have backed himself to take the chance. Most of the onlookers at Drogheda Institute of Further Education expected the net to ripple.
The away team were guilty of giving up an almost identical chance minutes later. The outcome was the same too, as their clean sheet stayed in tact. Cailloce was the player who got in behind but his touch brought him wide of the posts and his shot was saved by Hogan.
By this point, things were getting heated. Referee Akklic wasn’t endearing himself to either bench but it was Croly’s whose protestations went too far. The former Shamrock Rovers received a stern talking to, and then a booking.
In the game’s final minutes, centre backs Doyle-Travers and Haddock exchanged headers at goal at either ends. The Bohs man saw his effort drop onto the roof of the net, while Haddock’s - from a Byrne corner - was a glancing effort that flew across goal without a touch to divert it over the line.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Finn Moore; Manny Milongo (Ultan McLaughlin, 72), Osaze Irhue, Evan Haddock, Sean McCarthy; Callum Warren (Sean McGrath, 86), James Byrne; Bridel Bosakani, Cronin, Harry O’Connor (Cian Cleary, 49); Killian Cailloce (Sam Case, 72).
BOHEMIANS: Rian Hogan; Finn Cowper Gray, Calum Doyle-Travers (Reilly, 90+3), Josh Lyons, Jordan Hough; Shane Tracy, Billy Gilmore, Sean Moore; Rhys Brennan (Markuss Strods, 46), Hugh Smith: Nickson Okosun.
REFEREE: Umre Akkilic
