Davis brilliance helps Drogheda reach summit with win over champions Shelbourne
Warren Davis of Drogheda United celebrates. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
A brilliant individual goal from Warren Davis brought Drogheda United further capital gain in the space of fives days to put the FAI Cup holders two points clear at the top of the Premier Division table.
Following on from Monday’s win at Bohemians, maintained their impressive unbeaten start to the season.
It brought champions Shelbourne’s unbeaten start to the campaign to an end. Damien Duff’s side owned the ball but couldn’t find a way past Luke Dennison.
Shelbourne started positively, midfielder Kerr McInroy drilling a shot narrowly wide after three minutes.
But it was in-form Drogheda who stole the lead a minute later with a cracking solo goal from Davis.
The striker initially hustled the ball off Shels’ stand-in right-back Evan Caffrey.
Davis then cleverly put the ball through the legs of the retreating Harry Wood before finding the far top corner of Conor Kearns’ net with a stunning right-foot curler.
In a frenetic opening to the game, Shels had a big shout for a penalty not entertained minutes later when Sean Boyd went to ground under a challenge from Drogheda skipper Ryan Brennan.
The ball remained alive with Wood rifling wide across goal.
Chapman soon warmed the fingers of Dennison and then shot over the top as Shels resumed their dominance of possession.
Yet again, though, they were almost undone from a direct Drogheda counter on 20 minutes.
Owen Lambe’s ball down the right found the run of Thomas Oluwa, their goal hero at Bohemians on Monday.
Cutting inside Kameron Ledwidge, Oluwa availed of a slip by Paddy Barrett to tee up his shot which just lacked the venom to trouble the well-positioned Kearns.
Drogheda continued to frustrate the champions at the other end, Wood having a shot deflected out for a corner.
The delivery from that was partially cleared to McInroy whose drive was headed off the line by Brennan.
With plenty of food for thought at the interval, Rayhaan Tulloch replaced left-back James Norris in a left wingback role while skipper Mark Coyle dropped back into a three-man defence.
Tulloch almost made an immediate impact, crossing for Boyd who flicked wide.
Later, Dennison tipped away a dangerous Chapman cross while substitute Ali Coote and McInroy blazed chances over as Shels, who laid siege to the visitors' goal deep into added time, couldn’t break the tenacious resolve of Drogheda who held out for a rousing win.
Kearns; Caffrey (O’Kane, 71), Barrett, Ledwidge, Norris (Tulloch, h-t); Wood (Coote, 61), Coyle, McInroy, Chapman (Lunney, 71); Boyd, Odubeko (Martin, 61).
Dennison; Quinn, Keeley, Cooper; Lambe, Brennan (Cronin, 90+1), Farrell (Heeney, 68), Kane; Markey, Davis, Oluwa (Bawa, 72).
Damien MacGraith (Mayo).
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