Drogheda United 7
Sligo Rovers 0
Barry Landy reports from Weavers Park
DROGHEDA UNITED STUNNED Sligo Rovers by hitting seven goals past them for their biggest ever home victory in the Premier Division.
The result also equals the club’s biggest ever league victory and comes a week after Drogheda sealed their club record win courtesy of a 9-0 win over Wilton United in the FAI Cup.
Drogheda have now hit 17 goals without reply in league and cup in the last two weeks. Their survival prospects are looking up and momentum is now very much on their side.
For Sligo, this result will have hit them like a tonne of bricks. They arrived at Weavers Park as the form side in the division and despite a limp cup exit to UCD last weekend, a reaction was expected as their league season resumed.
John Russell’s team – with the manager serving the final game of a three match suspension – did not look like a side who had won five of their previous six outings. In truth, Drogheda blew them away from minute one to the full time whistle.
Douglas James-Taylor’s opening goal arrived just four minutes in and Adam Foley hit the seventh in injury time. In between, there was no let up.
The on-loan Walsall striker’s well taken volley flashed past Ed McGinty. Little did the goalkeeper know, he’d be in for a long night. The Drogs doubled their lead inside 11 minutes when Andrew Quinn tapped home at the front post from a Shane Farrell corner. The Sligo defending left much to be desired.
It was three when Haitian international Frantz Pierrot headed in a Conor Kane free-kick. Kane, for his part, was exceptional throughout.
This was a match Kevin Doherty will reflect on the fine performances throughout his team and so he should.
After the break, things just went from bad to worse for Sligo. A 60-yard Darragh Markey run – he had replaced the injured Farrell before half-time – ended in the midfielder crossing for Pierrot. His header was saved by McGinty but the Haitian turned in the loose ball.
Kane fired a low shot into the bottom corner three minutes later and by now, it was riotous stuff.
Just seven days after Drogheda earned their club record victory with a 9-0 win over Wilton United in the FAI Cup.
They were entering record territory here and Elicha Ahui managed to scramble the ball over the line for six. Then after Kane’s burst forward as brought to an end, Adam Foley has afforded time and space to find the bottom corner himself.
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Andrew Quinn, David Webster (Jack Keaney, 75), James Bolger; Elicha Ahui (Aaron McNally, 85), Luke Heeney, Ryan Brennan (Gary Deegan, 75), Shane Farrell (Darragh Markey 41), Conor Kane; Frantz Pierrot, Douglas James-Taylor (Adam Foley, 75).
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; John Ross Wilson, Ollie Denham, Charlie Wiggett (Jack Henry-Francis, 64), Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan, Conor Malley (Luke Pearce, 64), Ellis Chapman (Daire Patton, 71); Kailin Barlow (Simon Power, 64) Will Fitzgerald (Owen Elding, 63); Wilson Waweru.
Referee: Robert Harvey