Wasteful finishing and the frame of a tenacious Drogheda United's goal frustrated Shelbourne at Tolka Park.
There was no repeat of the 6-0 win at the same venue in the penultimate game of last season as Damien Duff’s Reds had to settle for a point from a game they dominated.
With three teenagers - Elicha Ahui, Ben Curtis, and Freddie Draper - making their competitive debuts for the club, Drogheda started brightly forcing two corners inside the opening couple of minutes.
Well-organised and with a solid shape to them, Drogheda dealt with Shelbourne well as the home side shipped two early yellow cards for skipper Luke Byrne and Tyreke Wilson.
The game then gradually sparked to life as both sides missed gilt-edged chances mid-way through the half, both following defensive sloppiness.
Drogheda were first up on 18 minutes. Shels Byrne and Gavin Molloy got in each others’ way to allow Draper in behind onto a long ball from Curtis.
The 18-year-old, one of two Lincoln City loanees in Kevin Doherty’s side, should really have scored, Shels relieved to see his lob drop over the bar.
Two minutes later came a far worse miss at the other end.
Curtis allowed JJ Lunney’s headed clearance from a corner to bounce on the halfway line to give Sean Boyd a clear run on goal.
The big striker drew keeper Colin McCabe from his line before squaring the ball to Matty Smith who somehow contrived to shoot wide of an open goal.
Drogheda had another let off just before the half-hour mark when a further error, this time by Darragh Markey, gifted possession to Boyd whose drilled shot came back off the butt of McCabe’s right-hand post.
The busy Curtis then cleared off the line from Molloy’s cross shot as Drogheda failed to deal with a Wilson free kick as Shelbourne got well on top, the visitors’ goal continuing to live a charmed life as half-time approached.
Jack Moylan worked a one-two with Wilson on the left to all too easily skip by Drogheda skipper Gary Deegan. And though the low shot was tipped away by McCabe, Shane Farrell’s follow up flashed wide back across goal with Smith unable to get the telling touch.
Shelbourne continued to take the game to Drogheda on the resumption, Farrell drilling a ball across goal that McCabe had to be alert to gather following good build up play.
The frame of their goal then rescued Drogheda for a second time on 69 minus.
Wilson’s free kick from the left found Paddy Barrett whose header came back off the crossbar with Moylan heading the rebound tamely over, aptly summing up Shelbourne's night.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Paddy Barrett, Luke Byrne, Gavin Molloy; Shane Farrell, JJ Lunney, Mark Coyle (Kameron Ledwidge 65), Tyreke Wilson (John Ross Wilson 77); Jack Moylan (Evan Caffrey 83), Matty Smith (Kian Leavy 77); Sean Boyd (Kyle Robinson 83).
Drogheda United: Colin McCabe; Elicha Ahui, Ben Curtis, Conor Keeley, Evan Weir; Gary Deegan, Ryan Brennan (Darragh Noone 88); Adam Foley, Darragh Markey (Dylan Grimes 78), Dayle Rooney; Freddie Draper.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).
