Relieved Drogheda United book FAI Cup final date after big scare ...

WEXFORD 2

HISTORY shows that Drogheda United never do things the easy way in FAI Cup semi-finals and they nearly came a cropper against unfancied Wexford at a sold-out Weavers Park on Sunday.

Eleven years to the day since they limped to a fortunate 1-0 victory over nine-man Dundalk to reach the 2013 decider, the in-form Boynesiders produced one of their worst displays of the season, but two goals from super sub Adam Foley got them over the line and they can now look forward to a final showdown with Derry City at Aviva Stadium on November 10.

Referee Damien MacGraith’s whistle was met with a mixture of joy and relief, for 6/1 shots Wexford came mighty close to causing a major upset and James Keddy’s charges can certainly hold their heads high even in defeat.

Physically the First Division promotion hopefuls were a match for their top-flight opponents, but they showed they could play as well and they bossed the opening 15 minutes, during which Mikie Rowe tested keeper Luke Dennison from distance, Sean McHale fired wide and Thomas Oluwa was just off target with a diving header.

Dennison’s call for attention for an injury gave Kevin Doherty the chance for an impromptu pitch-side team talk, but the Drogheda boss soon had another headache to deal with as joint top scorer Frantz Pierrot was forced off with what looked like a hamstring problem, bringing Foley into the fray.

Drogheda improved after that as Brennan went close with one header from a Shane Farrell corner and forced Wexford keeper Conor Walsh into a decent stop from a similar effort, with Conor Kane the supplier this time.

But just when home supporters were beginning to anticipate a lead goal, the breakthrough arrived at the other end in the 42nd minute.

Oluwa exchanged passes with Kian Corbally and whipped in a cross to the near post, Rowe’s first-time shot was parried by Dennison and Aaron Dobbs was perfectly positioned to smash home the rebound from barely a yard out.

Ryan Brennan had a chance to restore parity in first-half injury time, but he ballooned his free kick towards two spectators watching the match from a rooftop in nearby Anneville Crescent and that summed up Drogheda’s performance. Indeed, McHale could have made it 2-0 when he headed over the bar from a needlessly conceded corner kick in the final seconds of the half.

The Drogheda players no doubt got the Alex Ferguson hairdryer treatment at half-time and Doherty’s words visibly had an immediate impact as Elicha Ahui made a bone-crunching but fair tackle on Oluwa. Poor communication between Wexford defender Cian O’Malley and his keeper Walsh led to an attack from which Brennan had a shot deflected wide, and Kane then fired over the bar from the resulting corner.

Luke Heeney had replaced Farrell by this stage, and a slip by Wexford sub Ethan Boyle under pressure from Heeney led to a Drogheda breakout from which Douglas James-Taylor saw his attempt blocked by Lewis Temple.

The home side weren’t exactly throwing the kitchen sink at their opponents, but they were certainly on top and they finally hauled themselves level on 65 minutes.

Ahui worked the ball upfield to James-Taylor and he released Kane whose angled cross reached Andrew Quinn. The defender’s attempted volley was flying well wide, but Foley was perfectly positioned in the six-yard box to redirect the ball past Walsh.

The substitute had another opportunity on 71 minutes after being picked out by James-Taylor, but his header lacked power and Walsh made an easy save.

Drogheda stayed patient, though, and they seemed to take a huge step towards the final when they got their noses in front on 77 minutes, James-Taylor planting a header past Walsh from Darragh Markey’s corner kick.

Any neutrals watching this match would have been licking their lips in anticipation when Wexford remarkably restored parity at 2-2 barely two minutes later.

McHale played the ball up the left touchline for Oluwa and he got in behind Quinn before driving the ball across the six-yard area.Dobbs and James Bolger both slid in towards the ball at the same time and it seemed to take a touch off the Wexford striker’s backside before nestling in the net.

Wexford came again and they were nearly in for what might have been the clinching goal in the 84th minute. Once more Oluwa was the instigator, this time muscling his way past Ahui, and although Drogheda managed to clear the initial danger the ball broke to Corbally who slalomed past two attempted tackles before seeing his shot blocked by Dennison.

At the other end Heeney and James-Taylor combined to find Foley who did really well to engineer a yard of space before seeing his shot blocked by a defender.

James-Taylor was in the thick of it at this stage and he was involved in the next attacking move three times before eventually seeing his shot deflected behind.

Finally, in the second minute of stoppage time and with extra time imminent, the Drogs broke Wexford hearts by scoring the winner, Foley smashing home a volley from close range after latching onto Bolger’s flick-on from an Ahui throw-in.

DROGHEDA: Luke Dennison 7; Andrew Quinn 6, David Webster 6, James Bolger 6; Elicha Ahui 7, Ryan Brennan 7, Shane Farrell 6 (Luke Heeney 58, 6), Conor Kane 7; Darragh Markey 6; Frantz Pierrot 6 (Adam Foley 31, 8), Douglas James-Taylor 7. Subs not used: Aaron Harper-Bailey, Gary Deegan, Aaron McNally, Warren Davis, Bridel Bosakani, Killian Cailloce, Andrew Wogan.

WEXFORD: Conor Walsh 7; Divin Isamala 8, Cian O’Malley 8, Lewis Temple 8, Sean McHale 8 (James Crawford 90 +4); Luka Lovic 7 (Cian Curtis 75, 6), Darragh Levingston 8, Kian Corbally 8; Mikie Rowe 7 (Ethan Boyle 55, 6), Aaron Dobbs 8 (Kaylem Harnett 90 +4), Thomas Oluwa 8. Subs not used: Ben Lynch, Adam Lennon, Reece Webb, Conor Crowley, Alex Moody.

ATTENDANCE: 2,543