Kevin Doherty compared his Drogheda United side to the Arsenal of old as they tried to “pass it in” against Shamrock Rovers on Monday night.
The Boynesiders came out the wrong side of a 3-1 scoreline as they succumbed to a late Graham Burke suckerpunch as they pushed for an equaliser in Tallaght.
Jack Byrne put on a masterclass in the first half, bagging a virtuoso assist and a spectacular goal to put the Hoops two to the good.
Evan Weir pulled Drogheda back within a goal midway through the second half but the home side showed their clinical side to take all three points.
Burke had a free run on goal as a Drogheda attack broke down and Ronan Finn found his fellow substitute with a precise through ball.
It was the second defeat in four days for Doherty’s part-time side, but he saw enough in the performance to suggest they can compete with better-resourced sides.
“I said to them at half-time that this third goal, if it comes, would be crucial because we felt if we did get it, we’d have a chance and I do think we had a chance,” said Doherty
“We were in it and, if anything, we were in the ascendancy but you can’t give it away like that and expect to get anything. Rovers will cut you right open and that’s exactly what happened.
“I think if you were watching the game you’d know that we were really pressing for an equaliser.
“We might not have had loads of loads of chances but there were a lot of times around the box when I thought we should have gotten a shot off.”
Drogs troubled the champions several times in an opening 20 minutes when they arguably had the upper hand with Adam Foley and Darragh Markey both going close.
Byrne punished their profligacy with an inch-perfect pass for Sean Gannon to open the scoring with a fine finish midway through the first period.
And the midfielder showed his class again three minutes before half time with a rocket from 25 yards that left deputy keeper Colin McCabe with no chance.
Doherty said: “We’re like the old Arsenal team, trying to pass it in at times. We needed to shoot. When we moved into good areas, Georgie got a good cross in and we get a goal.
“But if you’re pressing and make a mistake like that and get cut open you’ve nobody but yourself to blame.
“The reason we played Adam Foley was because we felt if we kept our shape we could hit them down the sides because a lot of the time Rovers leave a one on one situation.
“If it had been a better pass down the side or over the top we might have got in a bit more. The main focus was keeping our shape but the problem is if one cog in the wheel goes out of shape a team like Rovers will cut you open.”
While Rovers away was always a game they were unlikely to take anything from, Doherty was more frustrated by the manner of their 2-0 defeat at home to Shelbourne on Friday.
Having seen their opening game away to Finn Harps called off due to Storm Eunice, the visit of Damien Duff ’s side turned out to be a disappointing beginning to the season.
“It’s only two games so it’s not the end of the world, especially when we’ve come here. In the Shelbourne game, I thought we were very good in the first half but again made individual mistakes.
“What I will say is it’s a very new group, a completely different group so there are probably going to be these little mistakes but they’re working together really, really well. Pre-season was really good and they’re gelling together but it will take time.”
“I suppose that’s the nature of the league this year because there’s been so much change around the league.
“It will take time. It normally takes a series of two to see where you are. I’m more than happy where we are, we just need to cut out individual mistakes.”
Doherty hopes to have first-choice goalkeeper Sam Long back for Friday’s clash with UCD at Head in the Game Park, while experienced defender Keith Cowan will also come back in.
