Shelbourne 1 - 3 Drogheda United

A powerful second half display gave Drogheda United a 3-1 victory against struggling Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Friday night.

The visitors trailed for a large part of the game until two goals from Declan O’Brien and one from Gary O’Neill saw them return to Louth with all three points. It was déjà vu for the home side, after their game with fellow Louth side Dundalk finished 3-1 in similar circumstances last month.

The first chance fell the way of the home side when a long punt from Brian Shortall was expertly controlled by Philly Hughes, the Shels number nine threaded a neat ball through to Dean Kelly who blazed over from ten yards.

Dean Kelly was involved in a lot of Shelbourne’s good early work and could have found himself on the score sheet when, after being fouled himself, saw his curled free kick sail agonizingly wide of Gabriel Sava’s right hand post.

For a team who have only scored once this season Shels were looking creative and on 26 minutes that creativity nearly paid off when Sean Brennan’s bullet of a free kick was tipped over the crossbar by Sava.

The visitors enjoyed spells of possession and had a chance of their own on 31 minutes when the impressive Gavin Brennan found space on the left, his perfect low cross found Gary O’Neil six yards out but his attempt was excellently blocked by a last ditch Graham Gartland tackle.

With three Brennan brothers on the pitch, two for Drogheda and one for Shels, they were sure to have a big impact on proceedings. On 37 minutes Sean Brennan started and nearly finished an excellent Shels move. He pounced on a sloppy pass in midfield before driving at the Drogs defence. His pass picked out Philly Hughes on the endline whose cross found its way back to Brennan ten yards out, his acrobatic overhead flew over the crossbar much to the disappointment of the wonder goal enthusiasts amongst us.

The Boynesiders should have taken the lead on 42 minutes when the ball found Brian Gannon on the edge of the area, his volley came back of Ger Hanley’s left hand post, much to the relief of the home support.

A moment of uncertainty from Sava almost gifted Hughes his first of the season on 43 minutes. The striker ran onto an excellent Paul Crowley through ball and sensing danger the Drogs keeper embarked on a lengthy run out of the box, Hughes rounded him with ease but his goalbound effort was blocked by the retreating Derek Prendergast.

It’s the perfect time to score and Shelbourne managed just that on the stroke of half time when a Brennan corner landed on the head of Shortall who made no mistake from six yards.

If the first half was dominated by Shels then the second most certainly belonged to the visitors. They escaped early on when Kelly, menacing on up the stand side, skipped inside the Drogs defence, his cross was overhit but landed at the feet of Brennan whose shot was blocked and cleared to safety.

The visitors should have equalized on 62 minutes when Paul O’Conor fired over from a Ryan Brennan through ball.

The home side went straight up the other end and should have doubled their advantage when a sweeping move involving Adam Hanlon and Kelly saw Brennan race free on the left, his cross was landing on the head of Hughes but a last ditch Drogheda attempt managed to divert it wide for a corner.

With twenty minutes remaining it looked like Shels were going to pick up their first league win of the season. Cue the introduction of O’Brien, and what an introduction it was. The man known as Fabio had an immediate impact, heading Ryan Brennan’s cross past Ger Hanley and into the right hand corner of the net. 

With the game level it was the visiting side showing the initiative and looking more likely to take the three points. O’Conor had another chance on 80 minutes when his rolled shot went wide of the post, but the signs were there that we were to see more goals. And that warning proved correct when on 85 minutes a foul by Shortall gave Cassidy the opportunity to swing the ball into the box, the unmarked O’Neil needed no invitation and his header again beat Hanley.

The insurance goal came from the penalty spot on 90 minutes after Jack Memery went through the back of substitute Michael Daly. O’Brien stepped up and made no mistake from 12 yards.

The visitors could have added another in injury time with ex-Shels man Cassidy and Ryan Brennan both going close.

The final whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos from the Tolka Park crowd, they still await their first precious three points of the season. For Mick Cooke’s men it was a case of mission accomplished and they now look ahead to Tuesday’s Setanta Cup semi-final against Sligo Rovers.

Shelbourne: Ger Hanley; Pat Flynn, Brian Shortall (Robert Bayly 88), Graham Gartland, Jack Memery; Sean Brennan (Mark Leech 88), Paul Crowley, Stephen Hurley, Robert Cornwall (Adam Hanlon 25); Philip Hughes, Dean Kelly.
Subs not used: Craig Mooney, Darren Tinnelly, Niall Burdon.

Booked: Gartland (4), Hurley (49), Crowley (72), Shortall (84).

Drogheda United: Gabriel Sava, Alan Byrne, Brian Gannon, Derek Prendergast (c), Shane Grimes; Ryan Brennan, Gavin Brennan, David Cassidy, Paul O’Conor; Gary O’Neil (Michael Daly 88), Graham Rusk (Declan O’Brien 71).
Subs not used: Stephen Quigley, Philip Hand, Alan McNally, Dean Gaynor, Michael Schlingermann.

Booked: Prendergast (9), O’Brien (76).

Referee: Rob Rogers.

Attendance: 1,047.

Extratime Man of the Match: Gavin Brennan (Drogheda United) – All three Brennan’s were excellent, but the winger tormented the Shels defence all evening, a deserved MOTM.