The champagne flowed freely in Drogheda as United celebrated their promotion and relegation play-off victory over an outmatched Bray Wanderers with 3 – 1.
No Premier Division side envisions their season ending with a one – off match that can leave them at risk of relegation. The prospect of a poor ninety minutes of football being enough to sentence your team to a stint in the First Division is a worrying thought for any.
Yet for Drogheda, both fans and players alike came into a fixture with morale at a relative high. With a superb display in the Aviva Stadium last weekend being enough to secure silverware and a European tour for 2025, the do or die tie against the Seagulls from County Wicklow could have run the risk of becoming an afterthought for Kevin Doherty’s side.
For Wanderers, a 5th place finish in the First Division may not reflect the season of a team worthy of promotion. Overcoming higher placed teams in UCD and Athlone Town to earn a shot at Drogheda, there was reason for the men in green and white to feel optimistic coming into the match at Tallaght Stadium.
If they’d been watching home-town hero Katie Taylor in battle the previous night, it surely would have given them motivation to fight for the sake of giving the people of Bray another reason to be proud of their sporting heroes.
‘Nothing to lose’ was the assessment I heard from one Seagulls fan before the match. With expectations low coming the decider and season.
Drogheda, unused to being the favourites and full of nerves, took a front foot approach to their play. Spurred on by a crowd of over 5,500. Majority of which were there to support the men in claret and blue, they raced to a 2 goal lead within the first half. With a potential handball not acknowledged by the referee and being put away by Defender James Bolger, controversy sparked.
As for the second half, there were no complaints. Striker, Frantz Pierrot, scored with a delightful flick from a well worked move. Taking the sides into the break with the game already looking out of Bray’s reach.
The third goal came soon after the restart. Pierrot, the Haitian international, completing his brace with a self-made volley that left Wanderer’s keeper Jimmy Corcoran with no chance.
From there, the Drogheda allowed themselves to enjoy what was surely to be an inevitable victory. “We are staying up” was the chant in the East stand as United proved why they are indeed worthy of their premier status.
These supporters could have been made to regret their premature ecstasy as Bray hit back with a goal from Harry Groome. Cutting through the Drogheda midfield before firing a rocket from outside the box, giving his side a flash of hope with half an hour to play.
Unfortunately for Wanderers, it was destined to be another year in the First Division as the Cup Winners saw out the game with relative ease. Drogheda keeper Luke Dennison, called into action on a couple occasions, but nothing that would cause him much trouble as the end romped to another vital win.
Reacting in kind, supporters of the winning team led chorus upon chorus of Bobby McFerrin’s ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ throughout the remainder of stoppage time and into post-match celebrations.
Drogheda manager Kevin Doherty in his post-match interview summed up the joy he takes from this result- “A very good end to a very good week”.