Drogheda United vs. Shelbourne And Shamrock Rovers vs. Dundalk Match Reports
Drogheda United vs. Shelbourne
Late Equalizer Earns Drogheda a Draw Against 9-Man Shelbourne
In the SSE Airtricity Premier Division clash between Drogheda and Shelbourne, a late penalty by Douglas-James Taylor secured a point for Drogheda in a 1-1 draw. The match saw Shelbourne, a team with title aspirations, reduced to nine men, which ultimately allowed Drogheda to capitalize.
Match Overview:
• Score: Drogheda 1 (James-Taylor 84’ (P)), Shelbourne 1 (Wilson 20’)
• Location: Drogheda
• Referee: P McLaughlin (Donegal)
Shelbourne, known for their narrow 1-0 victories under Damien Duff, initially seemed poised for another win when Tyreke Wilson headed in a goal from a 20th-minute corner. However, the game took a dramatic turn in the final stages. Paddy Barrett’s dismissal for two yellow cards was soon followed by Wilson also being sent off after conceding a penalty.
Drogheda, struggling at the bottom of the table, seized the opportunity. Douglas-James Taylor confidently converted the penalty in the 84th minute, ensuring the home side a valuable point. Despite their numerical advantage and late surge, Drogheda could not find a winner, with Warren Davis and Killian Cailloce missing chances in the dying minutes.
Team Performances:
Shelbourne’s dominant first half highlighted Drogheda’s defensive vulnerabilities, with the visitors having several chances to extend their lead. Shelbourne’s Evan Caffrey was instrumental, delivering the corner that led to Wilson’s goal and posing a constant threat.
Drogheda’s defensive issues, especially in dealing with set-pieces, were evident. However, young goalkeeper Andy Wogan made crucial saves to keep them in the game. The turning point came with Barrett’s red card, providing Drogheda with the impetus to push for an equalizer.
Squad Challenges:
Drogheda’s struggles this season are compounded by injuries, suspensions, and key departures, stretching their squad thin. The recent acquisition of Douglas-James Taylor from Walsall, through the Trivela Group’s multi-club model, has been a necessary boost given the absence of the suspended Frantz Pierrot.
Outlook:
This draw, while a setback for Shelbourne in their title chase, offers a glimmer of hope for Drogheda in their relegation battle. They remain at the bottom of the table but will look to build on this resilient performance. The focus now shifts to shoring up their defense to avoid further lapses and securing crucial points in the coming fixtures.
Line-ups:
Drogheda United:
• A Wogan; A Quinn (K Cailloce 81), D Webster, J Keaney, C Kane (R Brennan 69); L Heeney, E Ahui; A Foley, D Markey, W Davis; D Taylor.
Shelbourne:
• C Kearns; S Gannon, P Barrett, K Ledwidge, T Wilson; M Coyle, JJ Lunney (S Bone 75); E Caffrey (S Griffin 75), J Martin (H Wood 67), W Jarvis (A Coote 75); M Smith (S Boyd 67).
This hard-fought draw extends Drogheda’s unbeaten run against the league leaders and highlights their potential to challenge even the top teams when circumstances align in their favor.
Shamrock Rovers vs. Dundalk
Kenny Strikes Again as Shamrock Rovers Edge Dundalk
Shamrock Rovers secured a crucial victory in their first home match in 40 days, defeating Dundalk 1-0 in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division, thanks to a 29th-minute goal from Johnny Kenny.
Match Overview:
• Score: Shamrock Rovers 1 (Kenny 29’), Dundalk 0
• Location: Tallaght Stadium
• Referee: Marc Lynch (Galway)
• Attendance: 5,317
Johnny Kenny continued his prolific form, netting his fourth goal in six games, bringing his season tally to 10. This win, only their third in 10 matches, was a significant boost ahead of their Champions League qualifier against Vikingur Reykjavik next Tuesday.
The victory revitalized Shamrock Rovers’ title hopes, especially as both Shelbourne and Derry City dropped points. Dundalk, meanwhile, find themselves just two points clear of bottom-placed Drogheda United, adding pressure ahead of their upcoming Louth derby at Oriel Park.
Match Highlights:
Rovers’ manager Stephen Bradley, stressing the importance of winning every game to stay in the title race, made four changes from their previous defeat to Sligo. Among the changes were Aaron McEneff and Jack Byrne, starting together for the first time this season.
Shamrock Rovers started brightly, with McEneff heading wide in the fifth minute following good interplay between Byrne and Dylan Watts. Dundalk, featuring debutants Bobby Faulkner and Jad Hakiki, had a golden opportunity on 22 minutes, but Rovers captain Roberto Lopes recovered to block Eoin Kenny’s shot after a defensive lapse.
Rovers took the lead in the 29th minute. Kenny, initially denied by Sean Keogh, made no mistake when presented another chance. A quick transition saw Watts deliver a perfect pass for Kenny, who spun and fired into the far corner.
Kenny nearly doubled the lead three minutes later, but Dundalk goalkeeper Ross Munro made a crucial save. Rovers controlled the second half, with Kenny and Nugent both testing Munro. However, Dundalk rallied late, with Cameron Elliott and Ryan O’Kane both coming close before Pohls made a brilliant save to deny Elliott’s header in the 88th minute.
Team Line-ups:
Shamrock Rovers:
• Pohls; Hoare (Cleary 57), Lopes, Honohan; Nugent, O’Neill (Burns 72), Watts, McEneff (Poom 57), Clarke; Byrne (Greene 64); Kenny (Towell 72).
Dundalk:
• Munro; Davies, Johnson, Faulkner, Keogh; Mountney (Garbett 81), Doyle; Horgan, Benson (McGill 66), Hakiki (O’Kane 66); Kenny (Elliott 57).
This victory for Shamrock Rovers not only boosts their confidence ahead of European competition but also keeps their league ambitions alive. For Dundalk, the focus now shifts to the critical Louth derby as they fight to stay clear of relegation trouble.
