Drogheda United 0-2 Shamrock Rovers
Goals early in each half from Ciaran Kilduff and Sean O’Connor handed Shamrock Rovers a comfortable win in a low-key Premier Division clash at a blustery United Park.
The Hoops took just four minutes to find a way past Drogheda’s defence, Kilduff finishing smartly at the near post from a cross by Simon Madden and Pat Fenlon’s side went on to dominate virtually from start to finish.
Their second goal arrived on 48 minutes when another Madden cross was headed home by O’Connor at the far post.
Drogheda’s best efforts came late in the game when Gary O’Neill’s header was tipped over by Barry Murphy and a Ciaran McGuigan piledriver struck the post.
For a team with nothing but pride to play for, Rovers came out all guns blazing and Ciaran Kilduff had a fierce 25-yard shot pushed away by Micheal Schlingermann inside the first minute.
Ronan Finn then fired menacingly across the six-yard box and so it was no surprise when the Hoops hit the front on four minutes.
Simon Madden made the goal by making a run in behind Drogheda captain Shane Grimes and his cross was turned in at the near post by Kilduff.
Rovers went on to boss virtually the entire first half, adapting well to the difficult conditions, but there was little bite to their play in the final third and a wayward Jason McGuinness header was the closest the visitors came to adding to their tally.
The Boynesiders battled gamely against the wind and created one chance of note on 35 minutes when Peter McGlynn latched onto Paul Andrews’ downward header and drove the ball narrowly wide.
But Drogheda’s prospects of salvaging anything from this game nosedived three minutes into the second half when Simon Madden’s deep cross was nodded past Schlingermann by Sean O’Connor.
McCabe had a great chance to add another for Rovers on 56 minutes when he was put through by Ronan Finn, but this time he placed his shot too close to Schlingermann who saved at the second attempt.
The keeper made a much better stop to deny Kilduff on 68 minutes, finger-tipping his shot behind.
Thereafter, both teams went through the motions, although Rovers keeper Barry Murphy had to tip a Gary O’Neill header over the bar and Ciaran McGuigan’s shot in stoppage time struck the inside of the post.
Drogheda United: Micheal Schlingermann; Ciaran McGuigan (Ciaran O’Connor 90 +2), Alan McNally, Paul Andrews, Shane Grimes; Adam Wixted (Paul Crowley 53), Stephen Maher (Declan O’Brien 79), Gavan Holohan, Peter McGlynn, Carl Walshe; Gary O’Neill.
Subs not used: Sean O’Connor, Roy Kierans, Garreth Brady, Dylan Connolly.
Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, Conor Kenna, Jason McGuinness, Luke Byrne; Robert Bayly, Ronan Finn, Ryan Brennan (Shane Robinson 72); Gary McCabe, Ciaran Kilduff (Karl Sheppard 82), Sean O’Connor (Kieran M Waters 68).
Subs not used: Stephen McPhail, Robert Cornwall, Dean Kelly, Craig Hyland.
Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)
