UCD 1

Drogheda United 3

Paul Buttner reports from the UCD Bowl

AN AUDACIOUS opening goal of the night from Ryan Brennan was the highlight as Drogheda United cruised to victory at the UCD Bowl.

Conor Keeley and Adam Foley added further strikes to give Drogheda a comfortable first win in four games.

The victory moves Kevin Doherty’s side above Sligo Rovers to seventh place, and five points clear of Cork City in the relegation play-off place ahead of their trip to Sligo on Saturday night.

Barring a miracle, UCD look doomed as Andy Myler’s side remain 14 points adrift at the bottom.

After a sluggish start, Drogheda took control and were ahead on 19 minutes.

Right-back Luke Heeney’s ball down the right found Adam Foley in acres of space.

The cross was arrowed in low to the near post where Brennan, playing centre-forward since Freddie Draper’s departure, scored with a delightful reverse flick with his right foot for his third goal of the season.

Drogheda doubled their lead from their third corner of the game seven minutes later.

Brennan did well to head the initial delivery back out to Dayle Rooney.

The ball was recycled back into the area where Keeley scored with a crisp half-volley for a fine first goal of the season for the big centre-back.

In a slow burner of a second half, it was the 72nd minute before dominant Drogheda put the game to bed.

Darragh Markey’s floated free kick was nodded back across goal by Manny Adegboyega for Foley to score with a stooping header for his fourth goal in five games.

Mikey Raggett and Sean Brennan combined to set up substitute Danu Kinsella-Bishop for UCD’s 83rd-minute consolation.

UCD: Moore; Clancy (Bowden, 30), Keaney, Gallagher (Barr, 63); Verdon, Wells; Babb (Behan, 56), Brennan, Dempsey; Raggett, Doyle (Kinsella-Bishop, h-t).

Drogheda United: Wogan; Heeney, Keeley, Adegboyega, Weir; Noone, Deegan; Foley (Leddy, 74), Markey (McNally, 62), Rooney (Davies, 77); Brennan (Robinson, 62).

Referee: Gavin Colfer (Dublin).