League Report: Shamrock Rovers 1 - 2 Drogheda United

Macdara Ferris reports from Tallaght Stadium

Drogheda United put an end to their seven game winless streak by inflicting Shamrock Rovers’ first defeat in 14 matches. The 2-1 victory for United also knocked the Hoops off the top of table after Derry City’s 4-1 win over UCD.

Freddy Draper and Dayle Rooney were the goalscoring heroes for the visitors who are proving to be a real bogey side for Stephen Bradley’s men. In the league, the Boynesiders have two wins and three draws from the last five games between the sides.

The Hoops had been well on top throughout the first half as Drogheda United had defended well against Rovers. However a minute from the half time whistle the visitors scored on the break through Draper.

He did really well to get the opener as he had all to do when he ran onto Conor Keeley’s clearance from the edge of the United box with Sean Hoare in close attendance. He held Hoare off, moved inside and, using Pico Lopes almost as a shield, bent the ball around the Rovers captain and beyond the right hand of Leon Pohls for his fourth of the season.

The Hoops really should have been in the lead by then but a succession of missed headers from some of Jack Byrne’s six first half corners, a number of crucial saves by Colin McCabe and a couple clearances off the line shut Rovers out.

The Boynesiders did force the first save from either netminder in the opening period with Dayle Rooney forcing Pohls into a save three minutes in but the German goalkeeper had little else to do in the first 45.

Ten minutes later it looked like the Hoops would take the lead. Neil Farrugia got on a Richie Towell through pass and when his shot was saved by McCabe, Rory Gaffney touched the ball goalwards only for Luke McNally running back to clear off the line.

Midway through the half Draper had got his head on a Darragh Markey centre without putting the Rovers goal in danger but the Hoops continued to dominate the possession and the goalscoring chances.

McCabe pushed a Byrne effort around the post and when he was beaten on the 40 minute mark by a Trevor Clarke header from a Gaffney cross, Ryan Brennan was in the right position on the goal line to clear.

Bradley withdrew Sean Hoare ten minutes into the second half with Johnny Kenny going up top and Gary O’Neill slotting in at the back as he did earlier in the season when the Hoops had a number of defensive suspensions.

However United soon doubled their lead though Rooney who got on the end of a sweeping Drogheda move from back to front with some intricate passing. Then running onto Luke Heeney’s curled cross, Rooney took a touch in the box and rifled the ball by Pohls much to the delight of the pocket of visiting fans at that end of the ground.

Rovers continued to press forward leaving them light at the back which the Boynesiders on couple of occasions nearly exploited. Rooney went close with a chip from a United break in the 73^rd minute but, while it beat Pohls, it just drifted wide of the frame of the Rovers goal.

The Hoops were wasteful with their chances in front of goal with Burke missing a hat-trick of opportunities – one of which was expertly tipped over by McCabe. The Hoops pulled a goal back through Gaffney 11 minutes from time. He was well placed to turn home Towell’s blocked shot for his fifth goal of the league campaign.

That was as good as it got for the champions as even though the Hoops piled on the pressure laying siege to the Drogheda goal they couldn't break them down.

The visitors did all they could to slow down the game and while Lopes went close with a powerful header late on the couldn't get an equaliser in the seven minutes additional time that Rob Harvey added on.

It all meant a very disappointing 300^th game in charge for Shamrock Rovers for Stephen Bradley as their run of six wins in a row ended with this defeat – only their second of the season. It also meant their short week long stint at the top of the table came to an end and they are now in second place behind Derry City by a point.

The win moves Kevin Doherty's men to just two points behind seventh placed Sligo Rovers and United face bottom side UCD at home next Friday.

Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Lee Grace, Pico Lopes, Sean Hoare (Johnny Kenny 56),; Neil Farrugia, Gary O'Neill, Richie Towell, Trevor Clarke Sean Kavanagh (82); Jack Byrne, Rory Gaffney, Graham Burke,
Subs not used: Toms Leitis (gk), Daniel Cleary, Markus Poom, Ronan Finn, Darragh Nugent, Conan Noonan, Aaron Greene.
Booked: Stephen Bradley (84), Johnny Kenny (85), Lee Grace (89)

Drogheda United: Colin McCabe; Luke Heeney, Emmanuel Adegboyega, Conor Keeley, Aaron McNally; Ryan Brennan, Gary Deegan; Dylan Grimes  (Adam Foley 76), Darragh Markey, Dayle Rooney; Freddie Draper.
Subs not used: Fiachra Pagel (gk), Andrew Wogan (gk), Callum Ralph, Warren Davis, Matthew O'Brien, Emmanuel Milongo.
Booked: Ryan Brennan (90+7)

Referee: Rob Harvey.
Attendance: 5,157
extratime.com Player of the Match: Freddy Draper (Drogheda United)