DROGHEDA UNITED secured their first point of the new campaign after bouncing back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Derry City at Hunky Dorys Park.

 

 

A good old fashioned entertaining, rip-roaring, end to end contest filled with goals and incident saw Drogheda and Derry play out a draw in what was a fantastic advertisement for the Airtricity League.

 

United appeared dead and buried when they fell two behind early in the second half but showed great spirit and tenacity to work their way back into a contest they richly deserved to take something from.

 

Drogheda began really brightly and pinned Derry back in their own half in the early stages but against the run of play and with their first attack City scored when Stephen McLaughlin broke down the left and crossed for Eamon Zayed who applied the easiest of finishes.

 

In a very open contest with both sides looking to attack, the action swung from end to end but it was the home side that went closest to scoring next and drawing level on twenty-two minutes when David Freeman cushioned the ball into the path of Colin O’Brien who cracked a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

 

Just beyond the half hour Derry had a couple of opportunities to extend their lead. Zayed should have doubled his tally when he outpaced the home defence only to be denied by keeper David Quirke who made a fine stop low to his left. A minute later following a good move Shane McEleney flicked the ball onto Daniel Lafferty who somehow guided his header over the bar from six yards.

 

There could have been a goal at either end right on the half-time whistle as Zayed saw the ball rebound off the crossbar from his powerful header and at the other end John Lester’s corner was met by Gareth Whelan who saw his effort stopped on the line by net minder Gerard Doherty.

 

Nine minutes into the second half the home defence failed to deal with a hopping ball which Gareth McGlynn latched onto driving his shot to the top corner of the net from twenty yards to put Derry two up.

 

Game, set and match or so it appeared until Drogheda first pulled a goal back just past the hour mark and were on parity within sixty seconds.

 

Colin O’Brien’s fine strike from just outside the box gave the home side the perfect lift before the same player was taken down by Gerard Doherty for David Freeman to slot home from the penalty spot.

 

The attendance was recorded as 900.

 

Drogheda Utd: Quirke, Gannon, Costigan, McNally (Nolan 79), Whelan, Lester, O’Brien M, O’Brien C, Freeman, Corcoran, Hand.

 

Derry City: Doherty, Friars, Molloy, McEleney S, Harkin (McClean 90), Deery, McEleney P (McDaid 86), McGlynn, McLaughlin (McCrudden 79), Zayed, Lafferty. Referee: P. Sutton (Clare)