More cup agony for Drogheda Town
FAI INTERMEDIATE CUP TOLKA ROVERS...............5 DROGHEDA TOWN..........3
Wednesday March 10 2010
FOR the second time in three seasons Drogheda Town exited the FAI Intermediate Cup at the quarter-final stage – this time at the hands of a very impressive Tolka Rovers outfit.
Played in excellent conditions at Frank Cooke Park, it was the minnows who totally dominated the first 20 minutes, with impressive performances from the whole team.
Keith Arnold, Aaron Comerford and Andrew Tinley were causing numerous problems and Town forced two early corners.
They should have gone ahead after nine minutes when a move involving Arnold and Comerford resulted in a cross to Gavin Brennan who struck a left-footed volley that Morgan Cranley somehow kept out.
The keeper's luck only held out for another three minutes, though, as the same pair attacked from their own half and sent the ball into Tinley. He brilliantly held off two defenders and crossed to Trevor Harding whose splendid right-footed shot gave Cranley no chance.
Tolka came more into the game as the half wore on and got a fortunate equaliser when David Summers chipped a rather hesitant Town keeper Derek O'Brien.
From this point Tolka began to create chances of their own, with their neat, intricate passing causing lots of problems for the overworked Town defence. A rare slip by left-full Alan Connor on 41 minutes gifted Tolka the lead for the first time as Shane Hughes took advantage and ran through to beat the outrushing O'Brien.
Straight from the kick-off in the second half, Arnold lost possession to Alan Murphy and the latter unleashed a shot from 25 yards out into the top corner to leave Town with a mountain to climb – 3-1.
Despite this setback, Town fought hard to get back into the game and were desperately unlucky two minutes later when they felt a penalty should have been awarded for a hand-ball in the area.
Both sides attacked each other relentlessly, and Town got back into the game on 66 minutes when their penalty claim for hand-ball proved successful, and Arnold scored with the spot kick.
Although right back in contention at this stage – and roared on by a sizeable Drogheda support – they were caught on the counter-attack three minutes later. A cross into the area was palmed by O'Brien into the path of Brian Fitzpatrick who restored Tolka's two-goal advantage.
The impressive Summers rubbed salt in Drogheda's wounds by scoring Tolka's fifth on 82 minutes, but Town were not finished and three minutes later Richard Gibney – after striking the upright with a terrific shot – knocked the rebound into the net for 5-3.
Town can take plenty of positives from their performance and were eagerly awaiting the outcome of last night's FAI Senior Cup first and second round draws.
However, their first priority remains their promotion challenge in the league which was helped by Sunday's draw between Newtown Rangers and Newbridge Town.
