SOCCER: Drogheda United 2 Derry City 2:A RIP-ROARING, end to end contest filled with goals and incident saw Drogheda United and Derry City play out a draw at United Park last night.

United appeared dead and buried when they fell two behind early in the second half but they showed great spirit to work their way back into the contest.

United pinned Derry in their own half in the early stages but against the run of play City went ahead when Stephen McLaughlin broke down the left and crossed for Eamon Zayed who scored. The home side went close to drawing level on 22 minutes when Colin O’Brien cracked a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

Just beyond the half hour Zayed should have doubled his tally when he outpaced the defence only to be denied by goalkeeper David Quirke. A minute later Shane McEleney flicked the ball onto Daniel Lafferty who guided his header over the bar from six yards. There could have been a goal at either end right on half-time as Zayed saw the ball rebound off the crossbar from his header and at the other end John Lester’s corner was met by Gareth Whelan who saw his effort stopped on the line by goalkeeper Gerard Doherty.

Nine minutes into the second half the United defence failed to deal with a hopping ball which Gareth McGlynn latched onto and he fired a shot into the top corner from 20 yards to put Derry two up.

Drogheda pulled a goal back just past the hour mark and were soon on level terms. Colin O’Brien’s strike from just outside the box gave United the perfect lift before the same player was taken down by Gerard Doherty for David Freeman to slot home the penalty.

DROGHEDA: Quirke, Gannon, Costigan, McNally (Nolan 79), Whelan, Lester, O'Brien M, O'Brien C, Freeman, Corcoran, Hand.

DERRY: Doherty, Friars, Molloy, McEleney S, Harkin (McClean 90), Deery, McEleney P (McDaid 86), McGlynn, McLaughlin (McCrudden 79), Zayed, Lafferty.

Referee:P Sutton (Clare)