Captain Stuart Byrne rescued a point for a poor Drogheda United side with his first goal for the club against rock-bottom Longford Town at United Park on Friday night.
The Drogs were very short odds to win this one, but they frustrated their fans with a lethargic performance and not even a late flourish could yield a precious winner.
The subsequent news that fellow title challengers St Pat’s had lost did little to lift the spirits of a Drogheda side who will see this as an opportunity lost to heap more pressure on the leaders.
The midlanders attacked from the start like a team fighting for its very existence, and a goal-bound Gary Deegan shot was blocked by Damian Lynch in the third minute.
Seconds later, Dessie Baker fired a 25-yard free kick inches wide, but Drogheda’s luck ran out in the seventh minute when Longford grabbed a shock lead.
Dave Mooney was tripped by Brian Shelley as he made a run along the edge of the box towards the byeline, and referee Paul Tuite pointed to the spot, correctly deciding the offence was just inside the line. Mooney himself swept the spot-kick decisively past keeper Mikko Vilmunen.
The Drogs could conceivably have fallen 3-0 behind in the opening quarter, as David Freeman had a header ruled out for a marginal offside decision, and Deegan saw his long-range effort deflected over the bar by Paul Keegan.
But Doolin’s men belatedly came to life in the 24th minute when Eamon Zayed’s fine header was tipped over the bar by Mick Dempsey, and seconds later the Boynesiders levelled in fine style.
Ollie Cahill lofted the ball to the far post where Stuart Byrne had time to control the ball on his chest before volleying past Dempsey from ten yards.
Incredibly, it was Longford who responded best as the home side went on to produce one of their worst 20-minute spells since Doolin took charge, several players repeatedly giving the ball away when under no pressure.
Mark Rutherford almost profited, curling an 18-yard shot narrowly over the crossbar after being given far too much leeway by Damian Lynch, before Vilmunen leapt to his right to keep out Mooney’s header.
Drogheda could hardly play any worse, and they came out for the second half with more bite to their attack.
Byrne was unfortunate with a glancing header from Shane Robinson’s corner, before Cahill ghosted into the Longford box but somehow fired wide with only Dempsey to beat.
Still there was no breakthrough, but the Drogheda substitution when it came was not the anticipated one as Gavin Whelan replaced the outstanding Tony Grant.
Cahill, the Boynesiders’ other chief threat, twice went close in the space of 60 seconds, but Drogheda’s best chance of a winner fell to Paul Keegan four minutes from time.
The former under-21 international’s initial shot was blocked, but when the ball broke fortuitously back into his path just six yards out, Keegan ballooned the ball over the crossbar to Longford’s relief.
Drogheda United: Vilmunen, Lynch, Shelley, Gartland, Webb, Robinson, Byrne, Keegan, Cahill, Zayed, Grant. Subs: Gray for Webb (46min), Whelan for Grant (69min), Bradley for Keegan (87min)
Longford Town: Dempsey, Sullivan, Brennan, Doherty, Prunty, Baker, Doyle, Deegan, Rutherford, Freeman, Mooney. Sub: Wexler for Mooney (87min)
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin)
