Bridel Bosakani’s late finish from an elaborate free-kick routine beat Dundalk and claimed the MU20 Louth Derby spoils for Drogheda United at Oriel Park on Saturday afternoon.
Emre Topcu’s brilliant free kick set the visitors on their way just minutes before the interval but Eoin Kenny – fresh from making his home league debut for Noel King’s first team less than 18 hours earlier – scored from close range to level before Bosakani struck to take all three points back to Boyneside.
Samuel Case had tested United goalkeeper Finn Moore early on, forcing the goalkeeper to turn his hooked effort around the post after Conor O’Gorman’s cross.
Moments later, Kenny robbed James Byrne in midfield and sent an ambitious effort goalwards from long distance. Moore was untroubled.
With Byrne at the fore for the away team, they grew into the game. Bridel Bosakani was twice just unable to properly connect with deliveries into the area.
Prior to Topcu’s opener, Kenny flashed a shot on target from a narrow angle which Moore repelled and United captain Osaze Irhue was in close enough proximity to deny Kenny a clean header from a corner.
Conor O’Gorman tackles a Drogheda United player in the EA SPORTS MU20 Louth Derby at Oriel Park. Photos by Gerry Scully
Turkish underage international Topcu struck from 25 yards after Conall Cronin was felled after moving infield. His free-kick flew over the wall and past a helpless Sam Safaei.
The second half was not quite as end-to-end as the thoroughly enteraining opening 45 minutes has been. However, Dundalk worked themselves back into the contest. Kenny halved the deficit when meeting a cross from the former Shels’ youth Aidan Russell.
The Lilywhites striker soon came within inches of his and Dundalk’s second. He beat Moore to a long ball forward but his chip over the goalkeeper agonisingly came off the far post and was hacked clear.
The winning goal arrived four minutes from the end. Another set piece executed to perfection by Drogheda, but an altogether different idea. Byrne dinked a ball high into Irhue who nodded down to the Bosakani, in space and the forward sidefooted in.
There remained time for more drama. Moore sprang to his left to deny Russell with a fine save just as the clock ticked into added time.
DUNDALK FC MU20: Samuel Safaei; Luke Mulligan, Luke Povall, Tom McLaughlin, Benjamin Fagbemi (Davin O’Connor 46); Scott Brady, Aidan Russell, Dualta Honney (Muhammad Haris 76); Conor O’Gorman, Samuel Case (Aaron Donnelly 87); Eoin Kenny.
