League Preview: Drogheda United -v- Shamrock Rovers

DROGHEDA UNITED

The Boynesiders are unbeaten against Shamrock Rovers in five league matches with two wins coming in those games. They did lose to the Hoops in the FAI Cup last season when Rovers won in Drogheda 2-1.

Last time Rovers came to Drogheda discipline cost them as four yellow cards evenly spread between Lee Grace and Dan Cleary saw them reduced to ten men and Ryan Brennan punished them with an equaliser a minute from time canceling out Graham Burke’s early second half goal.

Kevin Doherty’s side went one better in Tallaght back in May when they won 2-1 with Freddie Draper scored the opener showing power and pace to beat the Rovers backline. Of course, due to the end of his loan period, United have lost Draper who remains their top goalscorer this season with eight goals.

Dayle Rooney made it two in Tallaght rounding off a superb passing move before Rory Gaffney pulled a goal back for Rovers with eleven minutes to play but United left with all three points.

United sit eighth in the table two points above the relegation play-off position where Sligo Rovers currently find themselves.

Their most recent game was a 1-1 draw at Turner’s Cross, where Adam Foley made it to four goal for the season with his third strike in his last three games but they couldn’t see out for the win. City equalised nine minutes from the end through O’Brien-Whitmarsh.

SHAMROCK ROVERS 

Rovers come into their final league game this month four points clear at the top of the table. Ahead of next week’s Champions League first round qualifier, they face the Boynesiders who have been a bogey team for the Hoops even if Stephen Bradley feels hard done by with the result last time out.

"Drogheda and Cork have taken points off us this year, so we know we’ll have a difficult game, but if you offer us the performance that we had against Drogheda in Tallaght (2-1 defeat), we’ll take it, with a different outcome,” said Bradley speaking to his club’s media team. “If we bring that level of performance we won’t be too far away.

"Drogheda’s game has always to defend deep and play in transition and they have been good at that against certain teams and won games that way. We know how that’s they play as well as being efficient in the final third, and we have to respect that and we good in those moments. We controlled the majority of the game in Tallaght, but we weren’t good in those moments, and they punished us." 

The Hoops lost in Louth last week as Dundalk defeated them 2-0 in a tight enough game – the pair go head-to-head again in the FAI Cup in the same venue at the end of this month.

"I said at the time that it was a poor-quality game from both teams,” said Bradley about last week’s game in Oriel Park, “and I still feel that way. Neither team had any real control of the game. We had a few chances before they scored, they took their two chances. Overall I was disappointed and frustrated with the performance and the outcome.

“There was no real pattern in the game, no overall control from either team, we had a couple of chances before they scored out of nothing. The first goal was a great strike from their centre half, but we should have taken our chances.

"They were good goals from their point of view, but really poor to concede from ours. We gave them away in quick succession, not ideal, it was a poor night all around for us."

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan

PREDICTION
2-0 away win

Drogheda United

Injured: None

Unavailable: Michael Leddy (as on loan from Shamrock Rovers)

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Done

Shamrock Rovers

Injured: Trevor Clarke, Neil Farrugia, Alan Mannus

Doubtful: Lee Grace, Gary O’Neill, Sean Gannon

Suspended: None.

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This week👇
- @gaxha_leo on @KerryFC & his football journey
- We continue the build up to the #FIFAWWC
- We hear from Megan Connolly, Lilly Agg, Denise O’Sullivan

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