Drogheda United's promotion hopes were dented by ten-man Wexford, who battled hard for a deserved point in their SSE League First Division clash in Ferrycarrig Park. The visitors began brightly enough, with Gareth McCaffrey and Chris Lyons both seei
Drogheda United's promotion hopes were dented by ten-man Wexford, who battled hard for a deserved point in their SSE League First Division clash in Ferrycarrig Park.
The visitors began brightly enough, with Gareth McCaffrey and Chris Lyons both seeing efforts blocked, but Wexford worked their way into the match and Dean George tested goalkeeper Paul Skinner twice in the space of five minutes midway through the first-half.
First George latched on to a downward header from Dean Walsh, who has arrived on loan from Waterford United, but his well-executed volley from the edge of the area was comfortably gathered by the netminder. George then curled in a free-kick which was easily gathered by Skinner, while moments later the goalkeeper spilled Mark Slater's shot but the danger was averted.
Newcomer Walsh almost announced himself to the Ferrycarrig faithful in style a minute before the break, when he turned on a six-pence and his attempted lob from 40 yards had Skinner back-pedalling but to the netminder's relief it drifted narrowly over the bar.
Seconds later, it was Drogheda's turn to come close to breaking the deadlock, but Corey Chambers did brilliantly to thwart Seán Brennan. The hosts really looked up against it when Seán Kelly was shown a second yellow card six minutes after the interval and moments later Chambers had to be alert to block a Gareth McCaffrey header.
Wexford came close to making an unlikely breakthrough against the odds in the 63rd minute when Dean Walsh rounded goalkeeper Skinner, but Ciaran Kelly got back well to snuff out the danger. Drogheda tried hard to grab a priceless winner, with Seán Brennan and substitute Lee Duffy trying their luck, but despite incessant pressure in the closing stages a much-improved Wexford side held firm for a well-deserved point.
