Welcome along to another Friday night of League of Ireland football.

Beaten comprehensively by league leaders Sligo Rovers last weekend, Shamrock Rovers know the importance of a home win tonight with the gap between themselves and the Bit O’Red standing at eight points after a third of the season played.

Drogheda, who haven’t lost on the road all season, are level with this evening’s opponents on 19 points after also recording five wins, four draws and two defeats. Kick-off in Dublin 24 is forty minutes away.

The reigning Premier Division champions are missing Chris Turner and Graham Gartland, both suspended after receiving red cards on Saturday, while Ciaran Kilduff is out with a knee injury.

Drogheda have a clean bill of health but also do without two players because for disciplinary reasons – Brian Gannon and Shane Grimes are unavailable.

Would you like team news for all six of the top tier games? Don’t mention it.

These two sides met on in the first fixture of the season at Hunky Doreys Park in March. That night, Dean Marshall put the Drogs ahead before two goals from Gary Twigg, either side of half-time, secured victory for Stephen Kenny’s men.

Kenny took the reigns when Michael O’Neill departed for the Northern Ireland job earlier this year but despite the winning start, would seem to be under a bit of pressure from Rovers fans after the indifferent run of results.

Got a couple of minutes to spare? Why not watch highlights of that 2-1 win to Rovers…

YouTube credit: UnitedParkDrogheda

And when you’ve finished that, you can have a read of our interview with Sligo Rovers boss Ian Baraclough, who’s loving life at his new club.

Teams are in:

Shamrock Rovers: Jansson, Powell, Oman, Sives, Gilbert, Brennan, McCabe, Rice, Dennehy, O’Neill,  Twigg. Subs: Pieterse, Gannon, Greene, Hawkins, Kavanagh, McCormack.

Drogheda United: Sava, R Brennan, Hand, McNally, Prendergast, S Brennan, G Brennan, Crowley, Foley, Mulvenna, O’Brien. Subs: Breen, Brady, Finnegan, Hynes, Marshall, O’Brien, O’Keefe.

It didn’t happen last time around due to suspension but we are about to witness a big day for the Brennan family, with FOUR brothers – Drogheda’s Ryan, Sean and Gavin, and Hoops winger Killian – all starting here.

Here we go then…

Gary McCabe finds Gary Twigg and he plays in Billy Dennehy but the former Cork City man has gone to early and strays offside.

Space opens up for Drogheda striker Tiernan Mulvenna down the other end but his shot is straight at Jansson.

Huge chance for Gary O’Neill to put the home side one-up there but he’s put it wide. The forward, who starts in place of Daryl Kavanagh, capitalises on a mistake by Derek Prendergast but can’t direct the ball on target.

Another goalbound effort for the visitors – this time it’s Fabio O’Brien who tries his luck.

Rovers have won a corner, meanwhile, but allow it to be cleared.

Smashing bit of play by Gary McCabe there. His quick feet sees him dance by two defenders and slide a pass through to Kerrea Gilbert, whose cut-back is defended. Former Sligo Rovers winger McCabe has had a lively start.

Drogs skipper Paul Crowley is the first man into the book after a rash challenge on Killian Brennan. Deserved a card for that.

Poor from Dennehy, who has time to pick out a team-mate with a cross but lofts it too high for Twigg to make a decent connection.

Former Bangor Celtic defender Prendergast has conceded a free-kick on the edge of Drogheda’s box and there are three Rovers players standing over it…

Dennehy gives it the old ‘let the wall jump and put it under them’ but doesn’t quite pull it off. When the ball rebounds back out, Killian Brennan has a pop but is a couple of yards away from sticking it in the top corner.

GOAL! Shamrock Rovers 1-0 Drogheda United (Gary McCabe)

It was coming. O’Neill finds the feet of McCabe and the Tallaght-native drives a strike beyond Gabriel Sava.

Sean Brennan glides by a couple of attempted tackles and his effort goals out for the corner. Alan McNally gets his head onto a cross… and directs it wide.

Sava and Crowley block what is certain to be a goal for Craig Sives and Sean Brennan tries his luck from distance and isn’t far away.

Tonight’s other games have all kicked off in the last couple of minutes by the way.

More goalmouth action. Prendergast throws his body at Stephen Rice’s shot from 18 yards and Jansson gets his palms to a curler from O’Brien.

The ball is in the back of the net and the Hoops faithful are cheering but Dennehy’s goal isn’t given as the linesman’s flag is raised on the far side.

Dennehy had followed up after a Twigg header was kept out by Drogheda’s Italian stopper. A minute of the first half to play.

GOAL! Dundalk 1-0 Monaghan United (Michael Rafter)

Half-time: Shamrock Rovers 1-0 Drogheda United

Ken Oman slides to tackle Tiernan Mulvenna. Credit: INPHO/James Crombie

GOAL! Cork City 1-0 UCD (Daryl Horgan)

GOAL! Cork City 1-1 UCD (Graham Rusk)

Rovers tip off at a cold Tallaght Stadium and young full-back Sean Gannon is on in place of former Arsenal defender Kerrea Gilbert.

McCabe has put in a potential leg-breaker on Ryan Brennan, who is attended to for a couple of minutes. Lucky to have gotten away with that without receiving a booking or even a red.

GOAL! Shamrock Rovers 2-0 Drogheda United (Gary Twigg)

Terrific link up play between Rovers’ two frontmen sees them double their lead. Twigg heads a cross to O’Neill, who chests back to his striker partner and Twigg blasts home.

Drogheda are all over the place at the moment and Twigg is close to doubling his tally but shoots at Sava.

That was his 11th Premier Division goal of the season, which means he is level with Sligo Rovers’ Danny North.

GOAL! Cork City 2-1 UCD (Davin O’Neill)

Killian Brennan curls an excellent attempt towards the top corner but Sava is at full stretch to keep it out.

Mick Cooke has brought on Peter Hynes and Mark O’Brien for Tiernan Mulvanna and Paul Crowley as he looks to salvage something here.

GOAL! Bray Wanderers 1-0 St Patrick’s Athletic (Jason Byrne)

GOAL! Sligo Rovers 1-0 Shelbourne (Danny North)

GOAL! Bray Wanderers 1-1 St Patrick’s Athletic (Christy Fagan)

Here’s that McCabe tackle I mentioned. What do you make of it?

We’re down to three Brennans as Sean makes way for Dean Marshall, who scored in the corresponding fixture in March. Just under 20 minutes remain.

Killian Brennan nods in disbelief after watching his free-kick crash off the crossbar.

Then there’s a yellow card for Gavin Brennan.

GOAL! Shamrock Rovers 3-0Drogheda United (Gary Twigg)

Number 2 for the Scot. Dennehy’s corner is clear off the line and he is on hand to nod over the line. That’s the game wrapped up then.

Gary O’Neill, who has worked tirelessly and held up the ball well, is off in place of Daryl Kavanagh.

GOAL! Dundalk 1-1 Monaghan United (Jordan Keegan)

GOAL! Sligo Rovers 2-0 Shelbourne (Danny North)

GOAL! Shamrock Rovers 3-1 Drogheda United (Declan O’Brien)

Consulation for the visitors. Fabio takes the ball down 20 yards out and sweeps a shot past Jansson superbly.

Full-time: Shamrock Rovers 3-1 Drogheda United

These two are at Dalymount tonight…

Credit: FAI

GOAL! Bray Wanderers 2-1 St Patrick’s Athletic (John Mulroy)

GOAL! Dundalk 1-2 Monaghan United (Jordan Keegan)

GOAL! Bohemians 0-1 Derry City (Stephen McLaughlin)

GOAL! Bray Wanderers 2-2 St Patrick’s Athletic (Sean O’Connor)

GOAL! Bray Wanderers 2-3 St Patrick’s Athletic  (John Russell)

GOAL!  Cork City 2-2 UCD (Paul O’Conor)

GOAL! Cork City 3-2 UCD (Davin O’Neill)

GOAL! Bohemians 0-2 Derry City (Patrick McEleney)

GOAL! Sligo Rovers 3-0 Shelbourne (Pascal Millien)

GOAL! Cork City 4-3 UCD (Davin O’Neill)

GOAL! Bohemians 1-2 Derry City (Keith Ward)

GOAL! Bray Wanderers 3-3 St Patrick’s Athletic (Jason Byrne)

The final whistles have gone around the country so that’s that. We will have an Airtricity League wrap covering all the night’s action up on the site shortly so make sure to pop back for that. Goodnight folks!