Sport

O'Brien's double gives Drogheda deserved win

Drogheda United 2 Cork City 0: Two goals from in-form striker Declan O'Brien at the end of each half secured a thoroughly-deserved…

Tue Aug 03 2004 - 01:00

Drogheda United 2 Cork City 0: Two goals from in-form striker Declan O'Brien at the end of each half secured a thoroughly-deserved victory for Drogheda at United Park last night. The game was on a knife-edge to the end when O'Brien struck for a second time with a minute of normal time remaining.

The opening 20 minutes saw neither side create much in the way of an opening. With 23 minutes gone a slip by Danny O'Connor in the Drogheda defence allowed John O'Flynn through on goal. His shot was saved by Gary Rodgers with the rebound falling to Neale Fenn who blasted wide. With a minute to go in the half Andy Myler set up Declan O'Brien. However Cork defender Danny Murphy got a block on the striker's shot.

Drogheda went in front two minutes into added time at the end of the half when John Lester's cross from the right was headed over the Cork defence for Declan O'Brien to burst through and lift the ball over goalkeeper Michael Devine.

Cork might have levelled six minutes into the second half when Colm T O'Brien's superb strike was chipped to safety by goalkeeper Gary Rodgers. The ball swung to the other end as Andy Myler, spotting Devine off his line, lobbed the ball narrowly wide from of 40 yards. O'Brien then set up John Lester to crack a 30 yarder inches wide.

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With 77 minutes gone substitute Tony Bird should have made the point safe for the home side. However, Devine saved brilliantly from close range. Bird stretched Devine again minutes later as the Cork goalkeeper went full stretch to save.

With four minutes to go the Drogheda goal escaped a real scare. Kevin Doyle beat Sandvliet to the ball, headed across goal for John O'Flynn to totally mis-kick from six yards. The loose ball fell to Denis Behan who knocked his shot into the side netting.

Drogheda made the point safe on 89 minutes when Tony Bird's ball through the centre of the Cork defence saw O'Brien race through to cooly push the ball past Devine to the net.

It could have been three in added time when Mark Rooney flashed the ball over the Cork bar from 15 yards.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Rodgers, Flanagan, Sandvliet, O'Connor, Gray, Lester, Whelan, Molloy, O'Brien, Myler, Cronin Sub Bird for Myler 58, Lynch for Molloy 80. Rooney for O'Brien 90.

CORK CITY: Devine, Murphy, Bennett, Murray, O'Brien, Fenn, O'Flynn, O'Callaghan, Lordan, Doyle, Kearney Sub Behan for Fenn. 80. Nwankwo for Murphy 89.

Referee: H Whoriskey (Meath)