O'Brien gets United going

Drogheda Utd 2 Derry City 1:A last-minute own goal by Drogheda was not enough to see Derry City snatch a last-gasp draw at United Park last night.

Derry battled throughout with Kevin Deery, Ruaidhri Higgins and Patrick McCourt proving to be a menacing factor for the steady Drogheda defence which was well marshalled by Jason Gavin.

After sustained pressure by the visitors, it was Drogheda who went in front after 26 minutes in somewhat extraordinary circumstances.

A poor clearance by Derry goalkeeper Patrick Jennings saw the ball land 35 yards out on the right wing at the feet of Declan O'Brien who quickly lobbed in a dipping, curling shot that sailed over the goalkeeper's head and into the net as the Derry backs scrambled back in vain to attempt to clear the ball.

The visitors came out after the interval attempting to put the squeeze on the Drogheda defence and should have pulled one back after 52 minutes when a menacing in-swinging corner from Higgins was met at the far post by the incoming Peter Hutton, but his header went just wide.

Undeterred by this Derry attack, Drogheda kept pushing and scored their second goal in the 63rd minute.

This time a Shane Robinson cross from the right floated into the box and was met by the head of striker Ollie Cahill at the far post and he gave Jennings no chance of saving.

Derry pulled one back in the last minute when a Killian Brennan free was knocked into the net by Gavin for an own goal but the contest by that stage was well and truly over.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Vilmunen, Lynch, Webb, Gavin, Robinson, O'Brien (Zayed, 64 mins), Fitzpatrick (Grant, 89 mins), Shelley, Bradley (Whelan, 82 mins), Keegan, Cahill.

DERRY CITY: Jennings, McCallion (Moore, 79 mins), Hutton, Rogers, Kelly, Higgins, Beckett, Deery (Brennan, 66 mins), Molloy, Farren (McHugh, 66 mins), McCourt.

Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).