Bohemians 2 Drogheda United 0:THE LEAGUE title race was thrown wide open last night with the champions taking full advantage of Shamrock Rovers' amazing slip up in Oriel Park – first half goals from Killian Brennan and Jason Byrne sending them on the way to a deserved victory.
With Drogheda falling to Louth rivals Dundalk on Friday night, the pressure was on United manager Brian Donnelly to prise the Boynesiders away from the bottom half of the table.
And there was an added edge to the meeting of these two teams with Brennan paired up against younger brother, Ryan, who lined out in midfield for Drogheda.
But it was Killian who had the early bragging rights when his 25 -yard free on 25 minutes blazed just over the crossbar. And the silky skills of Brennan were in evidence once more when he sent over a cross from the right which was headed away for a corner. And from Mark Quigley’s resultant inswinger, Drogheda defender Yael Haro almost headed into his own net with only the right-hand upright coming to his rescue.
The champions pinned back their opponents with a series of neat passes in to the front two. And they should have gone in front on 17 minutes when leading striker Jason Byrne shot straight at Robert Duggan. As news filtered in of Rovers’ predicament up in Oriel Park the home fans urged their team on.
And the Gypsies duly delivered on 24 minutes when Brennan, having taken a pass off Bohemians skipper Owen Heary, let fly with an unstoppable shot that flew in to the goalkeeper’s left-hand corner.
Their second duly arrived on 32 minutes when Glen Cronin’s cross was directed into the bottom corner by Byrne for his ninth league goal of the season.
United finally created their first chance when Ryan Brennan shot just over on 36 minutes.
The second half took a while to take off before half-time substitute Darragh McNamara forced a good save from Chris O’Connor. And then in as many minutes, Rafaele Cretaro twice raced clear, his second lobbed effort just dropping wide of the far post.
United had good claims for a goal when it looked as if Brennan’s cross-cum-shot had been carried over the line by goalkeeper O’Connor after 84 minutes.
And then deep into injury-time Mark Quigley saw a close range effort saved by the goalkeeper.
BOHEMIANS: O'Connor, Heary, Powell, Cronin, Shelley, McGuinness, Brennan, McGlynn (Higgins 78), Cretaro (Greene 82), Byrne (Madden 65) , Quigley.
DROGHEDA: Duggan, Treacy, McNally, McGill, Sinnott (Montondo 85), Flood, McEnteggart (McMahon 61), Meenan, Daly, Brennan, Haro (McNamara 45).
Referee: R Rogers (Dublin)
