Drogheda United 1

Galway United 1

THE longest-serving player under John Caulfield popped up with the goods on Friday night as Killian Brouder’s 76th minute volley rescued a point for the visitors in a game short on quality but not lacking for effort.

Results last season would suggest the visitors have happy memories of the ground which has been renamed in conjunction with sponsorship from a local stone company, and it was United’s granite defender – the only player still at the club from Caulfield’s first game in charge back in 2020 – who pulled an equaliser out of the rubble when getting on the end of Bobby Burns’ corner to cancel out Ryan Brennan’s first-half header.

The home side probably shaded matters in the first half. The Tribesmen persisted with the three-man defence that first reared its head on the preseason training camp in Spain, but Drogheda countered that with pace out wide, and they found plenty of joy attacking the flanks, especially down United’s left side.

Greg Cunningham was caught a couple of times by the pace of Warren Davis, and with Daragh Markey zipping up and down the opposite touchline, the visitors had a couple of hairy moments in that opening half.

The game was played at a nippy enough pace, and the home side were the first to settle, but while United had some uncomfortable moments in defence, they also looked dangerous on the front foot.

Burns volleyed wide when trying to curl an effort inside the far post in the 19th minute, which was sandwiched by two efforts from Patrick Hickey: the first was scuffed wide, but his second sight of goal forced a fine stop from Luke Dennison.

That was the only shot on target from the visitors in the first-half, with the home side looking more dangerous, with Davis in particular proving a nuisance. He capitalised on hesitation by Cunningham in the 25th minute to create an opening, with a couple of shots blocked by the United defence before Brennan’s looping effort just about cleared the crossbar.

The frontman was through on goal again 10 minutes later, nudging Cunningham off a dropping ball to gather possession and head goalwards, but he dragged his shot across goal and wide.

The home side were building a head of steam, and finally came to the boil five minutes from the break when they took the lead. Markey took a quick free on half-way to send Davis away down the left. He held up the ball while waiting for support before laying a pass inside to Shane Farrell, who returned it wide to the supporting Conor Kane.

He made space for a cross, delivering a ball right on to the back post. Cunningham was under it, but Brennan got above him to head home from almost right on the goal-line.

Pictured: Galway United’s Stephen Walsh and Lewis Temple of Shelbourne have their eyes glued to the ball during Monday’s Premier Division clash at Eamonn Deacy Park. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.