Drogs win dramatic Terryland encounter
Friday 23rd March 2007, 10:35 pm
Eamon Zaed, hit a late late winner for Drogheda United.
Photo by Tom Carey.
23rd March 2007
eircom League of Ireland Premier Division
Galway United 2
Stephen O'Flynn 45 +1
Alan Murphy 78
Drogheda United 3
Glen Fitzpatrick 2
Declan O'Brien 27
Eamon Zayed 90 +5
Terryland Park
Drogheda secured a dramatic late winner on their trip to Galway on Friday night. The Drogs took a 2-0 first half lead but allowed the Tribesmen back into the game - not aided by the sending off of Stuart Byrne before the hour. However, Eamon Zayed struck deep into added time to give the Drogs a win which moves them second in the table.
There was no sign of the drama ahead when Glen Fitzpatrick slotted home in just the second minute after Galway failed to clear from Ollie Cahill's free kick.
Declan O'Brien made it 2-0 on 27 minutes as he headed home following a good team move. They didn't hold the 2-0 lead until the break though when Stephen O'Flynn fired home from Wesley Charles' knock down.
Stuart Byrne's red card on 58 minutes could yet be very important as aside from the influence it had at Terryland Park, he now misses next week's crucial home league game against Derry City. Byrne was sent off after picking up his second booking of the game.
Drogheda had a further blow when goalkeeper Dan Connor went off injured a few minutes later.
Another former Derry player struck on 78 minutes to level the match at 2-2, Alan Murphy setting Galway up for a draw after combing well with Derek O'Brien.
However, Zayed stepped up almost five minutes into added time to give Drogheda a dramatic victory. Zayed got in with a diving header to convert from Richie Baker's deep cross into the box.
Galway United : Rogers, James, Charles, Nooitmeer, Tracy (Armstrong 33), Cooke, Lester, Foley, Murphy (Russell 87), O'Brien, O'Flynn (Moran 81).
Drogheda United : Connor (Vilmunen 64), Lynch, Shelley, Gavin, Webb, Baker, Byrne, Robinson, Cahill, Fitzpatrick (Whelan 64), O'Brien (Zayed 81).