VIDEO: Smash and grab victory for Drogheda Town at Parkvilla

 

North East Football League  Reserve cup

Parkvilla 0 - 1 Drogheda Town 

JUSTIN BURKE reports

Premier Reserve side Drogheda Town advanced to the quarter final of the North East Football League reserve cup after a smash and grab win at Claremont Stadium, courtesy of a Snaele Duma Strike seventeen minutes into this game that turned out to be the only goal of the match. 

Parkvilla who are a division lower than their opponents began the brightest in a tight match, with chances falling to Marcus Bailey, Dylan Kavanagh and Dylan Tighe all getting chances from distance but failed to trouble Vinny O'Hare in goal for the Town. 

After 17 minutes Drogheda Town were awarded a free kick which Andy Hickey swung into the box and despite Sean Fennessy saving Ciaran McCluskey's header at the back post he could only parry it into the path of Snaele Duma who smashed home from close range to give his side a slender lead. 

Drogheda Town were dealt a blow when there young right back Aaron Flanagan went off injured midway through the first half but they managed to hold onto their lead going into the interval. 

 

Stand in manager Derek Coogan was deputising for Jonathan Tighe who was away on holiday sent the Parkvilla team out for the second half rejuvenated and they began to push for an equaliser with Michael Hand skipping past his defender and firing a shot straight at O'Hare. Scott Reilly's set pieces were causing all sorts of problems for Drogheda Town but Parkvilla weren't able to convert their chances. 

They went close with twenty minutes remaining when midfielder Bryan Gibney ran onto a defensive clearance and managed to get his shot in but sent it just wide, and hurt himself in the process and had to be carried off with a suspected dislocated knee. The last chance fell to Chris O'Neill for Parkvilla but he headed over from a Scott Reilly set piece and it was Drogheda Town who take their place in the next round where they will play either Albion Rovers or Duleek for a place in the semi final of the Reserve Cup. 

Parkvilla Team
Sean Fennessy, Stephen Trappe, Scott Reilly, Cathal Kennedy, Chris O'Neill, Bryan Gibney, Michael Hand, James Boland, Dylan Tighe, Marcus Bailey, Dylan Kavanagh... Subs Gerry Brennan, Dami, Lee Williamson, Samuel Oyenive, Mark Walsh, Dylan Carey

Drogheda Town Team
Vinny O'Hare, Aaron Flanagan, Simon Kelly, Andy Hickey, Ciaran McCluskey, Sean Caffrey, Kevin Dunne, Callum Cooney, Darren Kavanagh, Thomas O'Connell, Snaele Duma.. Subs Dean Clarke, Rian Farrell

Match Official - Srdjan Bozic