League Report: Shelbourne 3 - 0 Drogheda United

A Jamie Doyle double along with a close range Gavin Boyne finish gave Shelbourne all three points in what was actually a close game as Drogheda United would go on to rue missed chances.

Shels got off to the perfect start inside the first four minutes of the game as Sodiq Oguntola picked up possession in midfield. Despite pressure on him, he held onto to the ball before hitting a long pass out to Jamie Doyle. The tall wide midfielder took a touch, brought the ball inside before striking a cool curling effort into the top right hand corner to give his side the lead.

Drogheda United tried to force a way back into the game as Lloyd Buckley just headed wide of the far post from an Adam Wixted corner before Eoin Kirwan saw his shot from outside the area take a wicked deflection before going wide of the Shelbourne goal.

However, it was Shelbourne who had the ball in the back of the net on seventeen minutes. A long ball forward saw Lorcan Shannon break into the Drogheda box before he laid the ball off to Gavin Boyne. The midfielder’s shot looked like it took a deflection as it spun under Dunican to double the Dublin side’s lead.

Once again, Drogheda went straight about trying to reduce the arrears but Derek Doyle shot straight at Greg Murray when he should have done better. Dunican also had to be alert to palm away a low Shannon cross within a few minutes of the goal.

Eoin Kirwan nearly created a goal that rivalled the opener as he beat Darragh Gannon on the edge of the area. The midfielder hit an arching shot over the Shelbourne goalkeeper, only to see it hit off the far post. The ball then smacked off the falling Murray’s back but to his relief, it flew wide of the goal.

That would be Louth side’s best chance of the half as Shelbourne nearly profited on a Dunican slip but the Drogheda netminder cleared his lines just before Carl Walshe stole the ball away.

The last real action of the first half would see a half-hearted penalty shout as Shannon went down on the edge of the area under pressure.

The second half nearly got off to an even quicker start for Shelbourne as, just a minute after the restart, Oguntola just missed Dylan Kavnagh’s corner delivery before Robert O’Reilly saw his shot saved after the ball was loose in the box.

Sean Brennan shot wide in a decent position a little while later before Kirwan once again nearly forced a response for Drogheda after some great close control. He initially chested down a Stephen Dunne cross before swiveling past a few defenders. His shot came from a tight angle but still required a strong hand from Murray to stop it going in.

In a period of Drogs dominance, a Stephen Dunne cross would create the next chance too as Aaron Ashe leapt highest in the box to power a header towards goal. Unfortunately for the attacker, his attempt went just wide of the top corner.

Shelbourne then had a nice skillful bit of play as consecutive Shannon and Oguntola backheels saw Gannon get the ball down the right wing. His cross was missed by Dunican but so too by Walshe as the chance was cleared at the back post.

The game hit a lull after the hour mark as long shots from Oguntola and Boyne didn’t really trouble the Drogheda United goal. Shelbourne weren’t to be denied a third though.

It came in the seventy-fifth minute, with substitute James English doing well to hold the ball up before slipping in Lorcan Shannon down the right hand side. His low cross went all the way to the back post where Jamie Doyle had time to take a touch before firing.

Niall Cooney was on hand to block the effort but the Shels attacker followed up to slot the ball home for his second of the night.

Drogheda pushed for a consolation goal and nearly had one with just over five minutes to go as Greg Murray saved a Sean Brennan freekick before substitute Joseph Jackson stabbed the loose ball wide of the target.

James English forced Dunican into one final save in stoppage time before the end of the game as Shelbourne got their first win of the season as Drogheda United suffered their first loss in the league.

Shelbourne: Greg Murray; Darragh Gannon, Ryan Robinson (Adam O’Connor 53), Robert O’Reilly, Dylan Kavanagh; Lorcan Shannon (Alan Kehoe 87), Daire Doyle, Gavin Boyne, Jamie Doyle; Carl Walshe, Sodiq Oguntola (James English 64).

Subs not used: Jack Brady, Robert Duggan, Conor Keeley, Mark Sandford.

Booked: O'Reilly (53)

Drogheda United: Patrick Dunican; Niall Cooney, Luke Gallagher, Lloyd Buckley, Stephen Dunne; Adam Wixted, Sean Brennan, Aaron Molloy (Joseph Jackson 82), Eoin Kirwan (Mark Doyle 79), Derek Doyle; Aaron Ashe (Marc Griffin 59).

Subs not used: Jamie McGlynn, Kenneth Costelloe, Stephen McGuinness.

Booked: None

Referee: David Keeler

Attendance: 626

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Lorcan Shannon (Shelbourne).

You can view Ciaran Cooney's, Eoin Smith's and Larry McQuillan photos from the game here.