Drogheda lay down the law

Shamrock Rovers 1 Drogheda United 3:Drogheda United won their second ever League Cup title at Tallaght this evening and in the process made an already hugely disappointing season for Shamrock Rovers just a little more miserable.

Goals for Delcan O’Brien and Eric Foley as well as one at the wrong end by Kerrea Gilbert earned United their victory and while Killian Brennan’s effort from a free just short of an hour was comfortably the best of the game, it was nowhere near enough to spark the revival required to prevent a well deserved victory for Mick Cooke’s side.

Rovers started well and should have led when Ciaran Kilduff sent Ronan Finn clear for a shot from inside the area but the attempted finish was poor and Gabriel Sava saved with his foot after initially having gone the wrong way.

Their opponents got steadily on top after that and took the lead 12 minutes short of the break when Gilbert failed to cut out Gavin Brennan’s low cross from the left and O’Brien popped up at the near post to turn the ball home. Within 10 minutes United had doubled their lead with Oscar Jansson’s attempt to clear Philip Hand’s corner from the right deflecting off Gilbert’s shoulder and in.

For most of what remained of the game, United comfortably outplayed last year’s league champions. Rovers were consistently careless with the possession that came their way and while Finn occasionally showed a bit of purpose and determination when pushing forward, Brian Laws’ side couldn’t make any sort of impact up front where Tommy Stewart and Kilduff were both completely anonymous.

The latter was stretchered off midway through the second half with a suspected fracture to his ankle to be replaced by Gary Twigg but by then United were in complete command with Foley’s goal, a low strike from 20 metres that was deflected past Jansson by Stephen Rice, having settled them quickly after the Dubliners had pulled one back.

Things went from bad to worse for the home fans with Conor Powell’s dismissal in the 72nd minute but they could be grateful at least that United didn’t take any of the chances they created over the closing stages with Peter Hynes, in particular, passing up a decent opportunity to make it four a couple of minutes from time.

Shamrock Rovers:Jansson; Gilbert, Sives, Hawkins, Powell; Rice; Finn, Brennan, McCabe (Dennehy, 60 mins); Kilduff (Twigg (65 mins), Stewart (Kavanagh, 60 mins).

Drogheda United:Sava; Gannon, McNally, Prendergast, Hand; Foley, R Brennan, Crowley; O'Brien (S Brennan, 90+3 mins), Hynes (Mulvenna, 90 mins), G Brennan.

Referee:T Connolly (Dublin).