Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers 4 [McGovern 29, 58; Healy 35; Asamoah 67] Drogheda United 1 [Doyle 48]
Delving into the strength in depth of their squad, Shamrock Rovers consolidated their lead at the top of the Premier Division table in recording their biggest win of the season to see off Drogheda United at Tallaght Stadium.
Head coach Stephen Bradley made six changes to the starting XI which edged past bottom side Waterford on Friday, chief among them captain Roberto Lopes and Graham Burke, slight injuries seeing both rested from the matchday 20.
Goals from striker John McGovern, the first of a double, and midfielder Matt Healy was no more than Rovers’ utter first-half dominance deserved as Drogheda, with four changes of their own from Friday’s win over Sligo Rovers, never gained a foothold in the game.
Maleace Asamoah proved a positive threat down Rovers’ left flank early on, twice bringing saves from Drogheda goalkeeper Fynn Talley.
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The visitors survived another let-off on 27 minutes following a piece of wizardry from Victor Ozhinavuna.
The 17-year-old cleverly spun Jago Godden to thread a perfectly weighted ball through for the run of McGovern. Talley made his third save of the game in turning the shot out for a corner.
It was a mere reprieve as Rovers were ahead from Jack Byrne’s delivery. Drogheda winger Jason Bruckner merely helped the ball on at the near post. It dropped to McGovern whose shot deflected off Edwin Agbaje to the net.
Drogheda were punished again when failing to defend another corner on 35 minutes. Byrne, on his 200th Rovers appearance, opted for the back post this time and Healy outjumped Godden to head home his second strike of the campaign.
Talley somehow prevented Aaron Greene from extending Rovers’ lead two minutes into the second half with a double save to thwart the striker after Ozhianvuna had carved the opening with a piece of sublime balance and skill.
From not having been in the game, Drogheda pulled a goal back two minutes later when James Bolger nodded down Agbaje’s long throw for Godden whose deflected shot was headed in by Mark Doyle.
Remarkably, Drogheda then came close to levelling within a further minute when midfielder Brandon Kavanagh’s shot deflected out for their first corner of the game.
Rovers rode out the revival to resume service at the other end when regaining their two-goal lead on 58 minutes. Again Ozhianvuna was instrumental with a delightful ball for McGovern who raced through to slide it through the legs of Talley for his third goal of the season.
McGovern then turned provider with a terrific through pass of his own for Asamoah, who sprinted in from the left to shoot past Talley for Rovers’ fourth goal as the champions moved three points clear at the summit.
Second-placed St Patrick’s Athletic surrendered a lead for the second time in four days as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Sligo Rovers.
In a rollercoaster north Dublin derby at Dalymount Park, Bohemians and Shelbourne played out a 2-2 draw, with the home side salvaging a point thanks to an 89th-minute equaliser from substitute Harry Vaughan. Bohs are now nine games without a win.
There were also stalemates in the evening’s other two games, Galway United holding Derry City to a 1-1 draw at Celtic Park, while Waterford and Dundalk shared six goals at the RSC.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Cleary (Mulraney, 72), Grace, Matthews (Stevens, 72); Sobowale, Healy (Razi, 72), Byrne (J. O’Sullivan, 72), Ozhianvuna, Asamoah; Greene (Mahon, 72), McGovern.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Talley; Agbaje, Keeley (Burney, 71), Quinn (Davis, 59), Kane; Bolger, Godden; Buckner, Kavanagh, Cruise (Kareem, 71); Doyle (Oluwa, 67).
Referee: Aaron O’Dowd (Dublin).
Attendance: 4,011.
Monday’s other results
Bohemians 2 Shelbourne 2
Derry City 1 Galway United 1
Sligo Rovers 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Waterford 3 Dundalk 3
