Drogheda United ended a difficult week with a 2-0 defeat to League leaders UCD at Belfield on Friday night. In an open game of football, goals from Georgie Kelly either side of half-time did the damage for Drogs. Manager Tim Clancy tells our reporte
Drogheda United ended a difficult week with a 2-0 defeat to League leaders UCD at Belfield on Friday night. In an open game of football, goals from Georgie Kelly either side of half-time did the damage for Drogs.
Manager Tim Clancy tells our reporter Peter Branigan that he could have no complaints about the result.
‘We were the second best team out there tonight. I thought UCD were excellent. They’re the best team we’ve played against this year, by far.
‘You can see why they’re top of the League. It was a well deserved 2-0 win, and to be honest, it could have been a lot more.
‘They’re very good with their rotation in the middle of the pitch. They’ve a really good centre forward in Georgie, and he was the difference, to be honest.’
The hosts had the majority of the chances, and Clancy says his team needed to take all their opportunities to get points from the game.
‘The final ball let us down on occasion. At 1-0, Chris Lyons had a great opportunity to get us back into the game, but we’ve no complaints at all.’
Drogheda went to Tolka Park on Monday knowing a win would move them to the top of the table. In the end, they rescued a late draw against Shels. Friday’s defeat now leaves them four points behind The Students.
Clancy says it’s the nature of things in such a competitive League.
‘Listen, everybody is going to be dropping points in this League. We beat UCD 2-0 in the reverse fixture.
‘We know it’s difficult. We weren’t planning to be this high up the table when we started the season off. Once we’re competing in every game, I’m happy.
‘Tonight’s the first game we haven’t scored in in sixteen matches. We’re well on schedule for where we want to be.
‘We could win the League, or we could finish seventh. That’s how tight it is.’
United’s final game before the mid-season break is a trip to the midlands to take on Longford. It’s a big game for both clubs, but Clancy is confident that his side will give him a response.
‘The last defeat we had was away to Finn Harps, and we bounced back with four wins and a draw in the game after that.
‘We’re looking for the same response going forward.
‘We’ve a core group of thirteen or fourteen players that we’re consistently using, so the mid-season break might help the lads. It will give them an extra week of recovery.
‘Maybe we can bring one or two in during the window, and freshen things up.’
