Drogheda United 3 Waterford FC 3

Waterford FC left a two goal slip but came from behind to secure a share of the spoils with Drogheda United in an entertaining encounter at Sullivan & Lambe Park in the final game of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division ahead of the mid season break.

The visitors got the perfect start with less than 30 seconds on the clock as a deflected ball from a Drogheda defender fell into the path of Tommy Lonergan and he gave Fynn Talley no chance from close range.

Waterford kept the pressure on the home side with a Padraig Amond firing a shot off the upright after being put through by Conan Noonan while a Sam Glenfield shot from distance flew just outside the upright.

The Blues deservedly doubled their lead on 21 minutes when Noonan’s perfect corner was headed home at the near post by the in rushing Kevin Long.

This seemed to shake the home side from their slumber and Brandon Kavanagh gave notice when he crashed a shot off the upright six minutes later. Just seconds later he delivered the perfect free kick which was headed to the bottom corner by Mark Doyle and Drogheda were back in the game.

The second half saw a resurgent home side press forward and Shane Farrell blasted them level just before the hour when he met a clearance with the perfect volley from thirty yards that thundered past Stephen McMullan.

The home side took the lead on 69 minutes when substitute Jago Godden flicked on a ball for Ryan Brennan at the back post and the home captain placed his header beyond McMullan.

To Waterford’s credit they never gave up and found a deserved equaliser with four minutes remaining when Benny Couto met a ball on the volley from outside the area and it flew past Fynn Talley to the top corner.

Drogheda United: Talley, Agbaje, Kane, Quinn, Burney, O Brien, Kavanagh, Oluwa, Doyle, Farrell, Brennan

Waterford FC: McMullan, Couto, Johnson, Mahon, Cann, Long, Noonan, McMenamy, Glenfield, Lonergan, Amond

Referee: Paul Norton

Photo Courtesy of Adam Connolly Fanning