Three goals and two red cards in a dramatic and controversial last 10 minutes saw Bohemians come from behind to take all three points at the newly-named Hunky Dorys Park last night.
Drogheda looked to be heading for a shock win after coming from behind to lead five minutes from time - thanks to second-half goals from Paul Crowley and a Joe Kendrick penalty, but Bohs turned it around as referee Neil Doyle took centre stage.
The turning point was Kendrick’s second yellow card for hand-ball, while John Flood also saw red for the Drogs. Goals from Jason Byrne, Gareth McGlynn and Paddy Madden then turned the game on its head.
Drogheda made an encouraging start, forcing a fifth-minute corner from which Paul Crowley steered a header narrowly over Chris O’Connor’s crossbar.
Bohemians seemed content to wait for a counter-attacking opportunity, but when Gareth McGlynn gained a yard of space on the right flank in the 17th minute he blasted high and wide.
The visitors’ defending from set pieces was poor and Crowley nodded another corner straight at O’Connor, before the Bohs keeper saved superbly at point-blank range from a Jamie Harris head-flick off Joe Kendrick’s free kick.
As the rain began to teem down, another chance went begging on 24 minutes when Gareth O’Connor deep cross picked out John Flood who escaped his marker but couldn’t direct his header on target.
So it was totally against the run of play when the visitors got their noses in front on 32 minutes. Gareth O’Connor was booked for a late tackle on Killian Brennan, and Paul Keegan’s free picked out Jason Byrne who sent a looping header beyond keeper Paul Skinner.
Sensing an opportunity to extend their advantage, Bohs dominated the remainder of the first half and McGlynn, Mark Quigley and Paddy Madden all saw glimpses of the Drogheda goal but couldn’t hit the target. Madden had only just come on, replacing the injured Brennan.
The Gypsies continued in the ascendancy after the break, but struggled to break down a resolute defence – although Skinner had to be alert to push Keegan’s driven cross-shot over the crossbar.
Drogheda were richly rewarded for that resilience on 62 minutes when Harris knocked down Alan McNally’s cross into the path of Crowley who lashed the ball to the Bohs net.
A Keegan header was correctly ruled out for offside on 69 minutes, but that was nothing compared to the drama in the final quarter.
Conor Powell’s foul on Fitzpatrick resulted in a Drogheda penalty, and after three Bohs players were booked for their vociferous protests, Kendrick smashed in the resulting penalty on 75 minutes.
But the Boynesiders’ left-back then blocked McGlynn’s piledriver with his arm and was sent off for a second yellow card, and three minutes from the end of normal time Byrne’s fierce shot from the byeline went in off Skinner.
A minute later Flood followed his teammate down the tunnel, also for a second yellow, and McGlynn headed Bohs in front immediately before Madden tapped in their fourth deep into stoppage time.
Drogheda United: 1 Paul Skinner; 17 Brian King, 5 Alan McNally, 15 Jamie Harris,3 Joe Kendrick; 8 Jamie Duffy (9 Robbie Martin 46min), 10 Paul Crowley, 14 Gareth O’Connor, 7 Brendan McGill; 18 Glen Fitzpatrick, 11 John Flood.
Substitutes not used: 12 Eoghan Osborne, 6 Eric McGill, 19 Ryan Brennan, 23 Paul Murphy.
Booked: O’Connor 31, Flood 50, 88, Kendrick 70, 84.
Sent off: Kendrick 84, Flood 88.
Bohemians: 25 Chris O’Connor; 5 Mark Rossite (14 Rafael Cretaro 81min), 2 Owen Heary, 6 Ken Oman, 3 Conor Powell; 7 Gareth McGlynn, 8 Paul Keegan, 4 Glenn Cronin, 11 Killian Brennan (12 Paddy Madden 41min); 10 Jason Byrne, 9 Mark Quigley (18 Anto Murphy 65min).
Substitutes not used: 16 Ruaidhri Higgins, 1 Barry Murphy.
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).
