A look at Drogheda United ahead of the 2024 season
Drogheda United had a memorable year last season under Kevin Doherty, prompting calls for the Manager to get the Manager of the Year award, considering his side achieved safety with ease despite being unfancied.
Drogs boasted many star performers during the season with Dayle Rooney, Darragh Markey and Conor Keeley impressing throughout.
Some of Rooney’s goals were sensational and with the winger departing for Dalymount Park, Doherty will be turning to some new faces to try improve on last year’s outing.
Indeed, Conor Keeley has also left for Richmond Park and St. Pat’s but with the arrival of Jack Keaney from UCD and Andrew Quinn from Shelbourne, the Drogheda United Manager will be hoping the transition will be easy there.
With a move towards full-time football on the horizon and with Doherty giving up the An Post gig, there will be hope that Drogs can improve on last year’s seventh position.
They will rely on goals coming in the shape of Frantz Pierrot who arrives after a goal heavy year in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division in 2023 with Athlone Town but the jump to the top flight is always a difficult one.
There’s also the interesting addition of winger Zishim Bawa from Swedish side Bodens BK.
The 21-year-old Dublin-born attacker joins Kevin Doherty’s side on a one-year deal for 2024, with a club option for the 2025 season, after a successful period on trial throughout January.
Bawa was initially scouted by Bodens BK in Arizona while at the PSC Academy in 2020, before signing his first professional deal in Sweden aged 18.
The attacker has excelled for Bodens BK in Sweden over the last three seasons, scoring 32 goals in 106 games – with crucial goals in Bodens’ 2022 promotion campaign.
These new faces added to the likes of Ryan Brennan and Darragh Markey as well as young talent like Warren Davis who bagged a brace against fierce rivals Dundalk in the Jim Malone Cup last week make for an interesting squad.
With some change in those around them as well two new sides in the Division, opportunity arises for Drogs to rise again in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division in 2024.
Finish last season - 7th
Manager - Kevin Doherty
Key player - Darragh Markey
