Alan Murphy marked his full debut with the winning goal as Shamrock Rovers pulled off a fine victory against champions Drogheda United at United Park tonight.
The Boynesiders were stunned after barely two minutes when a Rovers free-kick was partially cleared to the edge of the box, from where Alan Murphy struck a left-footed volley high into the net.
Drogheda nearly hit back through Shane Robinson, but his piledriver was spectacularly pushed away by Rovers keeper Barry Murphy and the visitors nearly pinched a second goal when Darragh Maguire headed against the crossbar from a corner-kick.
The Drogs had another escape when Sean O'Connor missed a gilt-edged chance on 24 minutes after further poor defending.
Only in the final ten minutes of the half did Drogheda begin to click into gear, and right at the end of stoppage-time Paul Keegan flashed a header off the Rovers crossbar from Richie Baker’s free-kick.
Territorially, the Boynesiders dominated the second half, but they struggled to find holes in a well-organised Rovers defence superbly marshalled by Maguire and Barry Ferguson.
Ibrahima Iyane Thiam, Stuart Byrne and Adam Hughes all came off the subs bench but with little effect.
Indeed, Drogheda did not seriously test Murphy until the 90th minute when the keeper fisted away Robinson’s snap shot and in stoppage-time Hughes headed onto the roof of the net.
Rovers were hanging on at the finish, but just about deserved the points against a Drogheda side who lacked the killer instinct in front of goal.
DROGHEDA UNITED – Vilmunen, Shelley, Tambouras, Gartland, Kendrick, Baker, Robinson, Keegan, Cahill, Zayed, Bates. Subs: Iyane Thiam for Bates (66min), Byrne for Keegan (68min).
SHAMROCK ROVERS – Murphy, O'Brien, Maguire, Ferguson, Flynn, Baker, D O’Connor, Rice, Magill, Murphy, S O'Connor. Subs: Doyle for Murphy (68min), Purcell for S O'Connor (75min), Martin for Baker (87min).
Referee – Dave McKeon (Dublin).
