Drogheda United ... 1 St Patrick's Athletic ... 2: St Patrick's got their season off to a perfect start by coming from behind to defeat a game Drogheda United side last night.

The visitors trailed to an early Drogheda goal, equalised midway through the first half and struck for the winner 12 minutes from the end.

Drogheda got off the mark after just two minutes when Derek Delany stabbed home his third goal of the season following a goal mouth melee.

St Patrick's almost levelled six minutes later when Tony Bird just failed to get a touch on right-wing cross.

They were level on 18 minutes when from a free just outside the United box Dara Maguire rose highest to head home.

Drogheda finished the half strongest and went close to restoring their lead in the final minutes from a Stuart Taylor header and a Gary Cronin strike.

The visitors were dominant in the opening stages of the second half, with Livingstone being denied by Gary Rogers in the home goal and Bird flashing a diving header narrowly wide, and it was no surprise when they grabbed the winner on 78 minutes.

Playing the ball quickly from defence, Philip Hughes eventually ran on to the Ger McCarthy delivery to hook the ball past the advancing Rogers to the net.

Drogheda attacked late on but couldn't conjure up an equaliser. Quinless went closest when he pulled his 10-yard shot wide.

In the final minute St Patrick's should have made it 3-1 on two different occasions when firstly Hughes was wide from 12 yards and then Bird delayed with his strike with a goal at his mercy.

DROGHEDA: Rogers, Dunne, Kelly, Lynch, O'Connor, Tierney, Gallagher, Taylor, O'Brien, Delany, Myler (for Taylor) on 67, Cronin (Quinless for Cronin on 81)

ST PATRICKS'S: Kelly, Croly, Burke, Donnelly, Maguire, Foley, Marney (Hughes for Marney 63m), Russell (Harris for Russell 89), McCarthy, Livingstone (McGuinness for Livingstone 71m), Bird.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin)