Drogheda United appeal against Jack Keaney red card fails
Drogheda United manager Kevin Doherty watches the action unfold in Tallaght Stadium. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Luke Heeney of Drogheda United in action against Shamrock Rovers' Darragh Nugent during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match at Tallaght Stadium. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Darragh Nugent of Shamrock Rovers is chased down by Drogheda United's Warren Davis. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
AN Independent Appeal Committee of the FAI has today rejected Drogheda United’s appeal for wrongful dismissal following defender Jack Keaney’s sending-off against Shamrock Rovers on Monday night.
The Boynesiders lost the game 4-0 and were already trailing by three goals when Keaney was shown a straight red card by referee Rob Hennessy for a challenge on Johnny Kenny, although TV footage showed there was minimal contact with the Rovers striker.
Drogheda manager Kevin Doherty later confirmed that the club were appealing the decision, but the Appeal Committee has now rejected the appeal, reaffirming that the red card ‘for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity’ would stand and stating that Keaney will serve a one-match suspension for the match away to St Patrick’s Athletic this Friday. Doherty said he was ‘hopeful’ that Evan Weir would be fit to return from injury for that game, but Keaney’s suspension is still a big blow. However, the Donegal native will be available for the bank holiday Monday derby fixture at home to Dundalk (1pm).
Speaking earlier on Tuesday, Doherty had said he was hopeful Keaney’s red card would be rescinded.
“What we believe was a wrongful dismissal has to be looked at and we’ll see where we get, but if this does not get overturned we have an issue because I have yet to talk to anybody that thinks it’s a red card, apart from the referee.”
As for the game itself, Doherty felt that had Drogheda got to half-time still at 0-0 they would have had a fighting chance of taking home something from Tallaght, but instead Rovers struck twice in the 45th minute and in stoppage time.
“The annoying part was that the first goal was totally avoidable. There was a minute left and we should have put the ball down the other end of the pitch, but instead we tried to be too clever.
“We have a clear plan when we play Rovers, but we went off the plan for a minute and it cost us.
“We have to take the whole weekend into account and we were very happy with Friday (the 3-1 win against Sligo Rovers) and disappointed with last night.
“But we have to move on and get ready for Friday. Obviously we have two games (including Dundalk at home on bank holiday Monday), but we have to look after Friday first and try and win.”
Goalkeeper Andrew Wogan was named on the bench for the Shamrock Rovers game, but Doherty said he is not yet fully fit and South Africa international Jethren Barr is set to continue between the sticks.
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