Dundalk 4
Drogheda United 2

Niall Newberry reports from Oriel Park

FIVE POINTS NOW separates Dundalk and Drogheda United at the bottom of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division after The Lilywhites recorded a 4-2 Louth derby win.

Early goals from Jad Hakiki and Ryan O’Kane put Dundalk in control in this fixture, however Douglas James-Taylor pulled a goal back for Drogheda before the half finished.

A second-half brace from Daryl Horgan sealed the deal for The Lilywhites, with James-Taylor’s stoppage-time penalty merely adding respectability to the score for Drogheda.

Not for the first time in recent seasons, the Louth derby was marred by ugly scenes at the full-time whistle, with several members of the travelling crowd making their way out onto the pitch towards their Dundalk counterparts, resulting in violent altercations.

Dundalk opened the scoring on eight minutes after Ryan O’Kane – who looked menacing in the early stages – fired a shot which was battered away by Andrew Wogan, but only into the path of Robbie Benson, whose cross from the left was headed home by Hakiki.

Drogheda had their first effort four minutes after that concession, with Shane Farrell’s cross being met at the back post by James-Taylor, who could only divert wide of the post.

It was The Lilywhites who made it 2-0 on 16 minutes, however, after Benson’s initial attempt was intercepted by Luke Heeney before it broke to O’Kane, who then produced a beautiful first-time finish into the bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the area.

The visitors desperately tried to fight their way back into this relegation six-pointer, with debutant Farrell floating a free-kick that sailed just wide of Felix Goddard’s near post.

They did eventually pull a goal back on 36 minutes when a cross from the left by Darragh Markey was headed home by James-Taylor, who had gotten away from Bobby Faulkner.

As the first half wore on, O’Kane’s set-piece delivery was headed miles over by Benson, before at the other end, Andrew Quinn and Elicha Ahui both had innocuous attempts.

Dundalk restored their two-goal advantage 10 minutes into the second half, with Horgan driving forward before playing it into Eoin Kenny, who neatly returned it to the ex-Republic of Ireland international to finish into the roof of the netting and make it 3-1.

James-Taylor skied miles off target on the hour-mark for Drogheda, who had further attempts from Heeney – saved by debutant Goddard – and substitute Frantz Pierrot.

Farrell’s floated free-kick into the box was right on the head of Pierrot, but caught by Goddard, not long before another free, this time taken by Conor Kane, sailed off target.

Dundalk sealed all three points four minutes from time, though, when Horgan’s sublime finish from the edge of the box made it 4-1 following a Robbie Mahon breakaway move.
Drogheda did bag a late consolation in the third minute of stoppage-time when James-Taylor converted from the penalty spot after Dan Pike had committed a foul on Heeney.

Dundalk: Felix Goddard; John Mountney, Mayowa Animasahun, Bobby Faulkner, Sean Keogh (Dan Pike 72); Paul Doyle (Scott McGill 10), Robbie Benson; Daryl Horgan, Jad Hakiki (Luke Mulligan 78), Ryan O’Kane (Robbie Mahon 78); Eoin Kenny (Jamie Gullan 72).

Drogheda United: Andrew Wogan; Andrew Quinn, David Webster (Frantz Pierrot 59), Jack Keaney, Conor Kane; Elicha Ahui (Ryan Brennan HT), Luke Heeney; Adam Foley (Warren Davis 59), Darragh Markey (Matthew O’Brien 64), Shane Farrell; Douglas James-Taylor.

Referee: Rob Hennessy