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Drennan now has seven goals this season. Donall Farmer/INPHO
hoopy days

Drennan the difference again as Shamrock Rovers go second with narrow win

The former Aston Villa striker was on target in Tallaght as Drogheda’s difficult start continued.

Shamrock Rovers 1

Drogheda United 0

MIKEY DRENNAN’S SEVENTH goal in eight games was enough to earn Shamrock Rovers the win over Drogheda United tonight in Tallaght and move the Hoops up to second in the league table.

For United, they have now only taken two points from the last 27 available, and in truth they rarely threatened in a game that will not live long in the memory of either set of fans.

Drennan had already had a shot deflected wide by the time he opened the scoring on 19 minutes, and the goal was one of the easiest he will get this season, tapping in Brandon Miele’s cross at the back post.

The youngster was probably Rovers’ best player in the opening half, and his sporadic injections of pace in midfield were certainly the highlight in what was rather dull first period.

Drogheda, who were without Daryl Kavanagh due to illness, arrived in Tallaght having been the last team to inflict defeat on the Hoops in a competitive fixture.

But a couple of shots off-target from Sean Brennan, and one that hit the side netting courtesy of Carl Walshe, were all that threatened Craig Hyland’s goal before the break.

After the restart it was all Rovers, with the men in green and white pretty much owning the ball, but their delivery from wide areas, along with a toothless attack, meant the score remained the same.

Keith Fahey with Mark Hughes It was a slow burner in Tallaght but the hosts had enough to prevail Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Even the introduction of Gary McCabe failed to really create any spark, and strikes from Gavin Brennan and Drennan were all the home crowd had to applaud.

Drogheda, to their credit, remained organised at the back for the most part, and only a Miele strike that rattled the crossbar in the last minute came any way close to increasing the Rovers lead.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Craig Hyland, Simon Madden, Conor Kenna, Maxime Blanchard, David O’Connor, Ryan Brennan, Pat Cregg (Stephen McPhail, 69), Keith Fahey, Gavin Brennan (Gary McCabe, 60), Michael Drennan, Brandon Miele.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Michael Schlingermann, Joe Gorman, Mark Hughes (Robert O’Reilly, 820, Alan Byrne, Mike Daly (Sam McGowan, 49), Sean Brennan (Cathal Brady, 72), Tiaran Mulvenna, Carl Walshe, Lee Duffy, Stephen Maher, Jason Marks.

Man-of-the-match: Brandon Miele

Referee: Sean Grant

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