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Drogs beat the odds to head table again
 By
David Thorpe
Drogheda United have overcome injuries to many of their top players to
ascend to the top of the Eircom League table this season.
The Louthmen were pre-season title favourites but concerns were expressed
at the lack of a recognised goalscorer in Paul Doolin’s squad.
No sooner was that solved by the record signing of Eamon Zayed from Bray
Wanderers than team captain Declan O’Brien picked up an injury which
will cause him to miss the rest of the season.
That appeared to leave Zayed carrying the goalscoring burden by himself
and while the Dubliner has long been recognised as one of the League’s
top players he has tended in recent seasons to be more of a playmaker
than an out-and-out goalscorer.
The result was that Drogheda fell behind St. Patrick’s Athletic
in the title race.
But Paul Doolin-managed teams never lack fight and when Aidan O’Keefe’s
goal sealed a 1-0 victory over UCD at the weekend, Drogheda returned to
the summit of the league as St. Pat’s were surprisingly defeated
by Waterford United.
Those teams have opened a lead on the rest of the field and look set to
fight out the League title between themselves.
Drogheda face Bohemians and Cork City in their next two games while St.
Pat’s face Longford and Shamrock Rovers.
With just one point between the sides every match will count in the coming
weeks.
Cork meanwhile have finally been given permission to play their former
Republic of Ireland international duo of Colin Healy and Gareth Farrelly.
The players were signed by the Leesiders at the start of the season but
weren’t permitted to play due to a dispute with the League.
With that experienced and high-class duo at the heart of their
midfield Cork could make up significant ground in the coming weeks. |
