McGinty the hero as Shamrock Rovers inflict first defeat on Drogs
Shamrock Rovers’ Edward McGinty celebrates at the final whistle. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Shamrock Rovers had Aaron Greene, Graham Burke and goalkeeper Ed McGinty to thank for turning potential loss into a creditable victory at Sullivan and Lambe Park as Drogheda United were finally beaten.
McGinty’s 96th minute penalty save from Shane Farrell’s spot kick saved the day for Hoops and broke Drogheda hearts. Their chance to rescue a point and preserve their unbeaten start was wasted.
In light of their blistering start to the campaign, Drogheda knew that a point against their illustrious opponents would guarantee them top spot over the international break.
That meant United fans would be able to revel in their place at the summit for two whole weeks before the league resumes. Results elsewhere means that despite a loss, the Drogs still lead the way.
That is ever so sweet for a side who few, if any, envisaged starting the season as well as they have.
A sequence of six matches unbeaten at the start of a Premier Division season is something Drogheda had only managed three times this century. They won’t dwell on not reaching that marker this time around.
Conor Keeley’s first half strike suggested, for eight minutes at least, that Drogheda were setting their sets higher than a mere point against Stephen Bradley’s visitors. And why wouldn’t they? They were fresh from beating the champions at Tolka Park after all.
Goals from Greene and Burke inflicted a first defeat of the season on United and secured back-to-back wins for Rovers, who will be content that the campaign is picking up pace after an uneven start.
Dylan Watts had the game’s first sight of goal, firing over after a prolonged spell of possession. As has been the case in every United game this season, they saw much less of the ball as their opponents but maintained a threat.
The pacy duo of Warren Davis and Thomas Oluwa kept Rovers back three on their toes. Yet Rovers still had more clear sightings of goal. Matthew Healy and Burke both had efforts on goal.
Drogheda’s opener was against the run of play but that hard hardly mattered to the 2,000-plus home supporters. Darragh Markey stole the ball from Dylan Watts and picked out Conor Keeley on the edge of the area.
The centre back had only ever scored two Premier Division goals before – one each for Drogheda and St Pats – but his first time shot was dispatched with a striker’s aplomb. Ed McGinty couldn’t get to it.
Rovers were level before the break and a rare lapse in the Drogs defence was met with a clinical moment from Greene. He ran at Keeley before drilling a low shot beyond Luke Dennison.
The winning goal came in the 70th minute of play. After excellent work by Grant, who impressed at wing back, he found Burke and the striker subsequently found the net.
Drogheda pushed late on and were buoyed by an additional six minutes of time. When McGinty crashed into Luke Heeney, it looked like they would salvage something. But Farrell was bested by the goalkeeper and that was that.
Dennison; Quinn, Keeley, Cooper; Lambe (Kareem, 82), Brennan (Heeney, 77), Farrell, Kane (Cruise, 76); Markey; Davis, Oluwa.
McGinty; Cleary (Robertson, 83), Lopes, Honohan, Grant (Ozhianvuna, 72), McEneff (Noonan, 72), Healy, Watts, O’Sullivan; Greene (Byrne, 72), Burke (Gaffney, 76).
Referee: David Dunne
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