Sligo Rovers 0-1 Drogheda United - Synan Braddish - 12th March 1989

Braddish writes final script
By Hubert Murphy
Drogheda Independent - 17th March 1989
Synan Braddish arrived Drogheda United when the club was at its lowest ebb. Tumbling gates and a succession of managers lay at his feet. But in one glorious season the Dubliner with Liam Brien has changed all that and brought the once fairytale club of Irish soccer back to the big time.
And fitting indeed it was to be the battling midfielder who wrapped it all up three minutes from half time at the Sligo Showgrounds striking the ball wide of a despairing Vincent Harte to secure this season’s First Division Championship.
Iconic too that it should be Sligo who provided the Boynesiders with their chance of promotion after sending United into the obscurity of First Division football at United Park almost four seasons ago.
Sunday’s match was by no means the classic which the handful of supporters who turned up at the windswept Western outlet had hoped for but on a clinging pitch and a bitterly cold and wet day the sides fought for everything and in United’s case for ultimate glory.
John Nolan, had the first crack at goal in the 17th minute, testing the keeper low to his left. With Richie Kelly back in full flight helped create the space upfront which Bradish and Nolan almost capitalised upon but Sligo too had their moments, one effort coming off the crossbar in the 24th minute and McLoughlin and Kennedy always willing to slug it out.
Strangely United were out of touch up until Stephen Geoghegan and Kelly set up Braddish. Liam Brien put it down to tiredness afterwards and clearly the blistering pace in recent weeks is taking its tole.
Nolan, who suffered a knock early on, O'Toole, Declan Geoghegan filling in the right back slot had difficulty settling down and only the power of Toal, Braddish and the defence with Flanagan again outstanding kept United's slender hold on the tie.
No doubt a few words of encouragement rang around the ears of the Drogheda players as they trooped out onto the rapidly deteriorating pitch for the second half because they immediately went into the attack, Kelly having one effort blocked away before Alan O’Toole sent through a perfectly weighted ball which Kelly latched onto, raced clear, rounded the keeper but sadly crashed into the side netting. The ding dong exchanges continued as Sligo battled doggedly to salvage a point and just when it seemed they would wear down the defence Liam Brien played his trump card.
Suddenly there was pace back in the flagging United attack as Geoghegan took on the defence before slipping a superb ball into Kelly who was again foiled as he was about to shoot.
Gill added a biting edge to the defence which remained rock solid. Horgan again magnificent at the first sign of trouble. Both sides had their moments as the minutes ticked by but with the Drogheda fans singing merrily in the rain the visitors were not going to be denied and when the final whistle blew that was that as the champagne corks flew.
Drogheda: Robbie Horgan, Declan Geoghegan, Gerry Scully, Paddy Dunning, Frank Flanagan, John Toal, Alan O'Toole, Synan Braddish, Richie Kelly, Stephen Geoghegan, John Nolan. Subs: John Gill for Nolan 71 mins.