Drogs move up a gear to stretch unbeaten run to five

Dreadful opening half gives way to fireworks as controversial penalty puts Students on back foot

Making ground: Drogheda United manager Kevin Doherty watched his side claim their third win of the season. Photo: INPHO/Tom Maher

UCD 0 Drogheda United 2 

A controversial Chris Lyons penalty and a fine late second goal from Evan Weir stretched Drogheda Untied’s upbeat run to five games with their third win of the season.

Livid at the concession of the spot kick in a tight game, having felt they might have had one themselves minutes earlier, UCD remain without a win and two points adrift at the foot of the table.

The sides laboured to spark the game to life in a shockingly poor first half.

Ryan Brennan replaced James Clarke at half-time for Drogheda and almost made an immediate impact four minutes in when his dipping volley was batted away one-handed by Lorcan Healy.

Minutes later Dayle Rooney rattled the frame of the goal with a thumping free kick.

With the game finally alive and kicking, UCD had claims for a penalty not entertained when Sam Todd appeared to be pushed over inside the area.

It was end to end fare now with Rooney slipping Brennan in to rifle narrowly wide on the hour. UCD were then left hopping mad when Drogheda took the lead from a penalty on 61 minutes.

In trying to clear a Georgie Poynton corner, Sean Brennan was adjudged to have handled the ball off his upper arm.

Referee Adriano Reale pointed to the spot with Lyons sending Healy the wrong way from 12 yards.

Left-back Weir then sealed Drogheda’s win on 89 minutes, collecting Rooney’s pass to turn and shoot home from a tight angle.

UCD: Healy; Dunne (Ryan, 34), Gallagher, Todd, Osam; Brennan; Kerrigan (Nolan, 67), Higgins (Gill, 73), Caffrey, Duffy; Whelan.

Drogheda United: Long; Quinn, Roughan, Massey, Weir; Deegan, Clarke (Brennan, h-t); Poynton, Nugent (Heeney, 90), Rooney; Lyons.

Referee: Adriano Reale (Kildare).