Cobh make penalties pay

Cobh Ramblers... 2 Drogheda Utd ... 2: Willie Bruton scored two penalties, the second seven minutes from time, as First Division Cobh Ramblers twice came from behind to keep their dream of promotion alive.

Strikers Declan O'Brien and Andy Myler twice gave Premier Division Drogheda the lead, but on each occasion Bruton showed composure from the spot to give his side hope.

Drogheda got a grip on the game to go in at the interval with a one-goal lead. Cobh goalkeeper Derek Slattery had his hands stung with the first effort on target on 33 minutes; Cobh's protests concerning a Gareth O'Donovan handball going unheeded as Stephen Gray thumped in a 25-yard free-kick that Slattery palmed away.

Two minutes later Cobh were behind. Bruton lost possession on the edge of the Drogheda area. The ball was knocked back to Gary Rogers whose clearance put O'Brien through on goal. The striker lifted the ball over Slattery for a fine finish.

Cobh almost levelled five minutes later. Declan McGregor showed a composed touch to set up Steve Yelverton, only for the midfielder's curling shot to scrape the Drogheda crossbar.

Cobh made much more of a match of it from the resumption and were level on 56 minutes from a penalty. Dunne took down Yeleverton and Bruton shot home his first spot kick of the night.

It was a short-lived lead, however, as the concession of a free-kick two yards outside their area proved costly for Cobh. Slattery did well to get a hand to Myler's direct free-kick but the ball bounced down over the goal line before O'Brien made sure to stab it into the net.

Bruton got the deserved second equaliser from the spot after Dom Tierney appeared to handle a shot from McGregor.

COBH RAMBLERS: Slattery; Hastings, Brosnan, O'Donovan, White; Kabia, Hill, Clifford, Yelverton, McGregor, Bruton. Sub: Coker for Yelverton (73 mins)

DROGHEDA UNITED: Rogers; O'Connor, Lynch, Gray; Dunne, Quinless, Tierney, Dempsey, Cronin; O'Brien, Myler. Sub: Quinn for Myler (79 mins).

Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).