Drogs earn vital point at title-chasing Shamrock Rovers

Shamrock Rovers 1 Drogheda United 1

Steve Williams saved a penalty before Jamie Duffy punished a dreadful late mistake to earn Drogheda United a point at Tallaght Stadium.

Duffy struck on 86 minutes to stun the home crowd. Substitute Eoghan Osbourne’s long ball over the top appeared to present little or no danger.

But defender Aidan Price dallied in trying to shepherd the ball back to keeper Barry Murphy and Duffy sneaked in to get a toe to the ball and direct it to the corner of the net.

Both keepers, Drogheda’s Williams and then Murphy, had to make decent stops to keep a lacklustre game scoreless until the 45th minute when Scotsman Gary Twigg struck to give Rovers the lead with his 11th goal of the season.

Sean O’Connor’s mishit drive was going well wide until Twigg improvised to fling himself at the ball and direct it to the roof of the net.

Rovers blew a chance to double their lead on 51 minutes when Drogheda captain Alan McNally handled a Dessie Baker shot inside the box.

O’Connor was a little too casual with the spot kick, but credit where it’s due to Williams who dived the right way to parry the ball away.

Williams was there again for Drogheda on 75 minutes, getting down well to save with his feet after Twigg had been played in by substitute Padraig Amond.

Those saves proved crucial as Duffy punished Price’s error to level four minutes from time and give bottom-of-the-table Drogheda a big point.

Shamrock Rovers: Murphy; Flynn, Maguire, Price, Cahill; Madden (Purcell, h/t), Rice, Cameron, O’Connor; Twigg, Baker (Amond, 72 mins.).

Drogheda United: Williams; Ryan, Kenna, McNally, R. Clarke (Osbourne, 76 mins.); Whelan (O‘Connor, 61 mins), Chambers, Shiels, Martin; Barrett, Duffy.

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).