Bayly earns point for Rovers with late strike

AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION:Shamrock Rovers 1 Drogheda United 1

ROBERT BAYLY salvaged a point with a stunning late goal as Shamrock Rovers had to come from behind at Tallaght Stadium last night.

John Flood stunned the home crowd to give Drogheda the lead on 67 minutes as he raced on to Gareth O’Connor’s ball to shoot past Alan Mannus.

Brendan McGill might have doubled Drogheda’s lead minutes later but shot feebly at the Rovers goalkeeper.

Cue Bayly who found space to gallop forward from midfield on 81 minutes to unleash a stunning shot from over 30 yards that flew into the bottom corner of Paul Murphy’s net.

With Gary Twigg and Dessie Baker back up front for the first time in the league this season, Rovers came within inches of taking the lead on 10 minutes.

Twigg won a free-kick off Joe Kendrick and James Chambers’ effort shaved the outside of Murphy’s left upright.

A delightful first time left-foot shot from Twigg arrowed just wide of the same post eight minutes later and Rovers maintained the early initiative.

Rovers blitzed Drogheda on the resumption with Chambers and Baker in turn missing sitters before Murphy produced a brilliant save from Bayly’s 25-yard drive following Twigg’s pass.

In between, Drogheda’s Flood brought a decent stop from Mannus with a header from O’Connor’s cross.

SHAMROCK ROVERS:Mannus; Flynn (Dennehy, 74 mins.), Sives, Murray, Murphy; Chambers, Rice (Turner, 60 mins.), Bayly, Stewart (O'Connor, 68 mins.); Twigg, Baker.

DROGHEDA UNITED:Murphy; Treacy, McNally, Kendrick, Osbourne; E. McGill, Crowley (R. Brennan, 86 mins.), Daly, O'Connor, B. McGill; Flood (Duffy, 84 mins).

Referee:Neil Doyle (Dublin).

Attendance:2,650