Drogheda continue to defy the predictions

Drogheda United ... 1 Cork City ... 0: Drogheda continued to defy predictions as they ended Cork City's 100 per cent start to the season with another impressive display to move up to second in the Premier Division table.

And while that position may be a little false due to the fact other teams have games in hand and newly promoted Drogheda have played three of their four games at home, manager Harry McCue has every reason to be happy the way his relegation favourites have begun their quest to stay in the top flight.

"I'm delighted to get the win, while the most important thing was the clean sheet, as we had been leaking goals," said McCue, who watched the last few minutes from behind the dugout having been sent from the sideline for dissent.

"We had a scary first 15 minutes or so when we rode our luck, but overall we just about deserved it." In an opening as bright as the much welcomed sunshine, Cork forced several early corners; their third on 11 minutes, taken by Billy Woods, coming within inches of giving them the lead as Alan Bennett's diving header came back off the post.

Seconds later at the other end, Michael Devine in the Cork goal had to save well from Andy Myler, though the Drogheda striker knows he should have found the target from 15 yards after Dom Tierney had laid the ball across on a plate.

Gary Rogers matched Devine's stop shortly after to prevent Drogheda falling behind with a reaction parry save from Woods' close range shot after George O'Callaghan worked some magic to get the ball across.

Cork were proving vulnerable down the middle, though, and they were caught out to concede the only goal on 36 minutes.

Declan O'Brien initially beat the City offside trap only to be thwarted by another good stop by Devine. But on retrieving the loose ball O'Brien was tripped from behind by left-back Neal Horgan to give away a penalty which was almost casually converted by Myler.

Drogheda remained marginally the better side into the second half once Rogers turned a stinging volley from O'Callaghan round a post inside the first minute as Cork seemed to run out of ideas.

Padraig Gollogley came forward for a Mark Demspey free kick only to head straight at Devine before the lively O'Brien showed good feet when turning to shoot over the crossbar.

In a late rally, John O'Flynn almost equalised in stoppage time but his overhead kick bounced onto the crossbar and over.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Rogers; O'Connor, Gollogley, Lynch, Kelly; Gallagher, Tierney (Cronin 88 mins), Taylor, Dempsey; O'Brien, Myler (Quinless 90 mins).

CORK CITY: Devine; Carey, Napier, Cronin, Horgan (O'Halloran 60); CT O'Brien (Mulconry 55 mins), Reynolds, Bennett, Woods; O'Flynn, O'Callaghan.

Referee: E Barr (Dublin).