League Report: Shamrock Rovers 1 - 1 Drogheda United

Macdara Ferris reports from Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers suffered a further blow to their slim title ambitions on Sunday evening after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Drogheda United. Douglas James-Taylor’s acrobatic touch taking the ball by Leon Pöhls 17 minutes from time to cancel out Darragh Burns’ first half strike.

It all meant Rovers couldn’t exploit the dropped points by both Derry City and Shelbourne last Friday night as bottom side Drogheda United made it five points from their last three league games to move within two points of Dundalk above them in the table.

The visitors were no doubt hoping to catch the Hoops cold on their three day turnaround from their Europa League qualifier against Celje last Thursday night. Stephen Bradley had made six changes to his team from Slovenia while Kevin Doherty kept with the same starting XI that drew with Bohs last time out.

However, it was Rovers who took the early lead and were the better team in the first half – even if they were made work by the Boynesiders.

After some early Drogheda United pressure with James-Taylor flashing a header wide, the Hoops had the lead inside six minutes.

Gary O’Neill spotted the run of Burns from deep and James Bolger should probably have cleared as he ran towards his own goal but Burns was quick to nip in to take the ball by him on the bounce. He set himself up and curled a left foot effort by Luke Dennison for the opening goal of the game.

It was the midfielder’s first for the Hoops since they had beaten the Boynesiders 4-0 back in late April in Tallaght.

Graham Burke, floating in the pockets of space in front of the United defence, got two first half shots away. The first flew wide in the 19^th minute and soon after he stung Dennison’s gloves after picking up a Markus Poom pass just outside the area.

It was an interesting match up at the other end with the Boynesiders two up top with James-Taylor and Frantz Pierrot going head to head against the Hoops back three.

Pierrot was wasteful with a shot before Shane Farrell’s low drilled effort from distance almost deceived Pöhls who was thankful the ball squirmed off him and around the post for a corner.

United had Ryan Brennan to thank for not seeing them go two down with a brilliant goal line clearance. Burke had beaten the offside line and raced in on goal, cutting back inside he beat Dennison but not Brennan’s last ditch block.

The former Hoops player in first half injury time hit an effort from the edge of the area through traffic that Pöhls was just about able to hold onto.

An early Farrell free kick from wide right almost deceived Pöhls inside two minutes of the restart but his touch took the ball behind the end line to safety off a touch from James-Taylor.

Just before the hour mark, Bradley made a triple change including bringing on new Scottish signing Marc McNulty up front in place of Graham Burke. McNulty’s run onto Neil Farrugia’s ball saw him take the ball by Dennison but the keeper forced him wide and the striker couldn’t finish.

As the rain began to fall the Hoops continued to make heavy weather of getting their second goal and Drogheda probably should have been level in the 73rd minute when James-Taylor’s shot hit the side netting with Pierrot screaming for a square pass.

However the striker made no mistake with his next chance as he claimed the equaliser moments later. His smart touch from Conor Kane’s cross found the top corner of the net sending the home fans silent while the away fans celebrated with vigour and they didn't stop singing till referee Rob Hennessy blew his whistle in the 97th minute.

Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pöhls; Daniel Cleary (Joshua Honohan 58), Pico Lopes ©, Seán Kavanagh (Lee Grace 58); Darragh Burns, Gary O'Neill, Markus Poom, Cory O'Sullivan; Jack Byrne (Neil Farrugia 68), Aaron Greene (Dylan Watts 68), Graham Burke (Marc McNulty 58).
Subs not used: Lee Steacy, Darragh Nugent, Richie Towell, Conan Noonan.
Booked: Daniel Cleary (40).

Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Andrew Quinn, David Webster (Jack Keaney 58), James Bolger; Elicha Ahui, Ryan Brennan © (Darragh Markey 66), Shane Farrell, Luke Heeney, Conor Kane; Frantz Pierrot, Douglas Taylor (Adam Foley 82).
Subs not used: Andrew Wogan, Warren Davis, Gary Deegan, Matthew O’Brien, Bridel Bosakani, Aaron Harper Bailey.
Booked: Ryan Brennan (40), Shane Farrell (72).

Referee: Rob Hennessy. 
Attendance: 3,681
extratime.com Player of the Match: Douglas James-Taylor (Drogheda United)