Shamrock Rovers 5-3 Drogheda United
DROGHEDA UNITED HAVE been relegated to SSE Airtricity League First Division after losing 5-3 to Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.
The Louth club began the evening in 11th place, but the defeat, coupled with Limerick’s 3-2 win over Sligo Rovers, means they will play in the second tier next season.
Danny North’s hat-trick was added to by substitute Marty Waters after Drogs defender Robert O’Reilly had bagged an unfortunate own-goal.
Mick Daly, Tiernan Mulvenna and Lee Duffy scored for the visitors but it wasn’t enough on a bitterly disappointing night for the club.
Rovers bossed possession during the opening period with veteran midfielder Stephen McPhail getting plenty of touches and full-back Simon Madden bombing forward at every opportunity.
But it was the away side who went in front. Hoops goalkeeper Barry Murphy touched Sean Brennan’s effort over, then saved Alan Byrne’s header from the resulting corner but he couldn’t keep out Mick Daly, who finished from close range.
The advantage only lasted a matter of seconds, however. Byrne was stretching when he attempted to clear Gary McCabe’s cross and the ball was deflected in off team-mate O’Reilly for an own goal on 18 minutes.
Drogheda then got their noses back in front for a second time just after the half-hour mark. A quick free-kick from Sean Brennan found its way to Mulvenna, and he curled past Murphy.
Sean Thornton came close before half-time but fizzed the ball just wide of the post and, Mark Kinsella’s men went into the break ahead of Limerick in the table.
10 minutes after the restart, Rovers were handed the chance to make it all-square again when Byrne was penalised for pulling Conor Kenna down in the box, and North slotted home from 12 yards.
The striker added his second with 15 minutes remaining — following up after Schlingermann had parried Miele’s effort from distance — and substitute Marty Waters then made four on 83 minutes.
Duffy gave Drogheda a slimmer of hope with two minutes on the clock but North added a third with his second successful penalty and Thornton was sent off for dissent in injury-time to compound their misery.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Barry Murphy, Simon Madden, Conor Kenna, David O’Connor, Luke Byrne, Pat Cregg (Mikey Drennan 66′), Gary McCabe, Brandon Miele, Stephen McPhail, Danny North, Damien Duff (Kieran Marty Waters ’79).
DROGHEDA UNITED: Michel Schlingermann, Mark Hughes, Alan Byrne, Mick Daly, Sean Thornton, Sean Brennan (Liam Donnelly 78′), Tiernan Mulvenna (Keith Treacy 61′), Ger Pender, Adam Whelan (Lee Duffy 71′), Robert O’Reilly, Jason Marks.
