Bohemian Football Club Crest

@bfcdublin Playing Bohemians was never going to be easy for a Drogheda United team who were coming into the game on the back a thrilling 5-4 loss away to UCD, Cillian Shields reports.

The Drogs have failed to even score against the Gypsies in all three previous encounters this season but started brightly on Friday night.

After Gavin Brennan - brother of Bohs winger Killian - kept possession on their left flank, the ball eventually fell to centre-half Brian Gannon to have a shot that went just wide.

A Killian Brennan (above) corner placed low outside the box set Mark Rossiter up for a long-range effort but that was quickly blocked down before it could cause home keeper Robert Duggan any trouble.

Drogheda enjoyed a lot of the ball early on. Some excellent quick thinking
between Jordan White and Peter McMahon ended up in a cross from McMahon, which just skipped past the Drogs striker with too much pace.

Only a minute afterwards, Anto Flood, playing on the right wing, found himself in a great position in front of goal and was able to delightfully chip the keeper, only to be foiled by the linesman who raised his flag late for an offside.

An Aidan Downes surge towards the box led to a good tackle, with Killian Brennan finding the ball at his feet closing in on goal. The Drogheda native took a shot, attempting to curl it into the top corner, but his effort was too ambitious and went wide.

Barely a minute had passed when Killian Brennan had another chance to create something with a free-kick midway between the goal and the half-way line. But his low cross beat everybody in the box and Duggan was able to collect the ball comfortably.

Drogs' Brian Gannon is a defender who likes to come forward and he showed his attacking abilities again in the first half, when he met a cross with his right boot which unfortunately for him, was unable to cause Craig Sexton in the Bohs goal any difficulty, but caused a gasp of excitement from the local crowd.

With 15 minutes remaining in the first half, Bisto was able to gather a long pass sent his way just before it went out of play near the corner flag. He proceeded to attack his marker and the Drogheda goal, but lost out and Duggan smothered the ball.

Shortly after this, the first real chance of the game occured. A through ball was sent to Drogheda’s right wing, with McMahon collecting it before sending an inch perfect cross to Gavin Brennan, whose headed effort was just about stopped by Sexton on the goal line.

Owen Heary expertly intercepted a pass in midfield and was given the
opportunity to advance forward. After being taken down, Killian Brennan whipped in a free-kick that was headed clear at first attempt by the Drogs defence.

After Gannon took down a Bohs midfielder, Killian Brennan was given the chance to whip a cross in front a great angle, right before the half time mark. The cross came in high, but dipped quickly, giving captain Heary (above) the opportunity to run onto it and head it into the back of the net, making it 1-0 to the visitors. 

Bohs raced out of the traps as the second half begun. Pat Fenlon’s men wasted no time in getting forward and establishing a two-goal cushion between themselves and their hosts.

Chris Forrester, starting a rare game for the Bohs first team, linked up well with the in-form Downes. As the pair moved into the box bearing down on goal, the pass eventually came to Glenn Cronin (left), who was on hand to score a very rare goal for his team.

Shortly afterwards, a through ball let Downes breach the home defence again and a shot was saved well after some good control with the chest. The ball went out for a corner and from the resulting cross, Flood found a chance to shoot just outside the six yard box but his half-volley went over the bar.

Some good interplay between Downes and the ever-advancing Flood led to a shot just inside the box. Duggan palmed it out for a corner, from which Robert Bayly was set up fantastically. The first cross was sent his way and he struck a shot first time. The initial effort was blocked well but it came straight back to the midfielder, who sent another one in.

The ball was again blocked, but found its way to striker Downes, alone just outside the six yard box. Somehow, Aidan couldn’t get the ball from outside his feet and he hit his shot wide from a very close range.

With Bohs unable to deal with some United possession in midfield, substitute Philip Hand was able to swing in a very pacey cross, leaving both defence unsure as the ball flew dangerously past the goal and out for a goal-kick. 

Killian Brennan sent a long through ball to substitute Chris Fagan, who collected near the corner flag. After some tricky play, the striker made his way towards the box where fellow sub Stephen Hurley was waiting to collect.

The quick-thinking midfielder played intricate one-two passes between the Drogs defence to end up in Hurley having a shot on goal going just wide from a yard inside the box.

Alan McNally had Drogs' last half-chances of the game. When a cross from the home side’s left wing was cleard away, the centre-half latched onto it from distance and unleashed a powerful shot, which was always rising over the goal.

The game ended 2-0 to Bohemians, making it four wins out of four for them against Drogheda United for this season. Next up for Bohs comes the league and cup double-header against the other Louth team, Dundalk. 

THIS WEEK'S FIXTURES: Monday, September 12th, Airtricity League – Bohemians v Dundalk, Dalymount, 7.45. Friday, September 16th, Ford FAI Cup quarter-final – Dundalk v Bohemians, Oriel Park, 7.45.

Drogheda Utd: Duggan; R Gaul (Mulvenna 75),  McNally, Rogers, Clarke; O'Brien, Gannon (Hand 55), Lynch, McMahon,  Brennan; White (Corcoran 75). Booked: Gannon (42), Brennan (48), McNally (51), Mulvenna (85).

Bohemians: Sexton, Heary, Price, Burns, Rossiter; Flood (Hurley 85), Buckley,  Cronin, Brennan, Forrester (Bayly 55);  Downes (Fagan 79).

Referee: Tom Connolly (Dublin).