League of Ireland Premier Division:DROGHEDA'S PURSUIT of a top-three finish and European football next season faltered again as they failed to turn their dominance into goals for a second successive home game against a bottom three side.
As they piled on the pressure in the final quarter of an hour poor finishing cost them dearly as Cobh clung on for a precious point. Indeed United couldn't even manage to covert a penalty in the latter stages. However, they should have been ahead after 30 minutes when Kuduzovic and Ollie Cahill combined down the left before the ball was played into Shane Robinson who was denied by goalkeeper James McCarthy.
Zayed twice went close to breaking the deadlock when he firstly met Graham Gartland's crossfield ball and volleyed into the arms of McCarthy and then saw the goalkeeper dive at his feet to smother the ball as he was about to shoot on goal.
Ross Gaynor had the first chance of the second half for Cobh when his powerful well-placed strike was pushed to safety by Jamie Ewings. But with just over 20 minutes remaining Zayed cracked a shot off the underside of the crossbar, Adam Hughes miskicked in front of goal and Cahill drove straight at the goalkeeper when a goal appeared certain.
Fifteen minutes from time Drogheda's night of misery was complete when they missed a penalty. Kenny Coleman handled Baker's goal-bound header, however, Shane Robinson's spot kick was brilliantly saved by McCarthy who dived full length to his left hand side.
In the closing stages Drogheda had a couple of further penalty appeals turned down by referee Neil Doyle, the most controversial coming right on time when the assistant referee flagged for hand ball in the box by a Cobh defender.
DROGHEDA UNITED:Ewings, Kendrick (Ristila, 84 mins), Gartland, Robinson, Baker, Shelley, Zayed, Keegan, Maher, Cahill, Kuduzovic (Hughes, 60 mins).
COBH RAMBLERS:McCarthy, Coleman, Guthrie, Murray, Meade, Carey, O'Neill, Gaynor (Cummins, 80 mins), Mulconry, O'Brien (Kearney, 84 mins), O'Halloran.
Referee:N Doyle (Dublin).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)