National League/Premier Division: Publicly at least the two main title contenders have been consistent in their claims that they wanted to see this title race won on the field rather than a court of law. To judge by the reaction of the Derry City players to this rather comprehensive defeat they are beginning to come around to the fact that the club officials may be about to see their wishes granted although not in the way that those frequenting the Brandywell would have hoped.
Arriving at United Park last night Derry had won just three of their previous 10 league games and three points here were urgently required if they were to maintain the pressure on Pat Fenlon's men.
Instead, affected at last, perhaps, by the fatigue that comes with fulfilling such a punishing fixture schedule, they were overwhelmed by a Drogheda side for whom the outstanding Shane Barrett scored all three goals.
Derry's recent results may not have been what was required to maintain their momentum in the title race but defensively at least they had been a model of quiet efficiency with seven clean sheets in a row. Despite that, manager Stephen Kenny, currently being courted by Sottish Premier Division strugglers Dunfermline, changed three of the back four that drew with Bray on Friday night.
Two of the three, Seán Hargan and Ken Oman, were rated slight doubts the day before the game although Kenny said he expected both to be available.
However, the pair failed to make it and had to be replaced, but there was no prior hint that Eddie McCallion might be dropped from the right-back slot which is what happened, for tactical reasons, with Kevin Deery taking over.
His replacement likes to attack when he plays the role but here it was defending that let him down badly. Barrett tied him in knots more than once over the course of the first half.
Deery, though, was far from the only culprit for City as the home side established an early dominance. When Barrett cut inside from the flank and eyed up a shot both centre backs stood well back only to be left helpless as their opponent seized the opportunity to send a curling ball flying into the top right corner of the goal.
During the 20 minutes or so that followed the visitors proved wholly incapable of retaining possession in any area of the field.
Neither Barry Molloy nor Ciarán Martyn could exert much influence in central midfield where Shane Robinson and Paul Keegan were comfortably on top while Gary Beckett looked entirely out of sorts as he tried to provide the spark required to ignite his side's attacking play.
Barrett missed a fine opportunity to double his side's lead during the spell, beating Deery but then hitting a weak right footed shot that David Forde saved when the situation seemed to call for a left footed effort. Just short of a half hour in, though, he found the target in what was almost a repeat of the situation and while City were lucky that neither Declan O'Brien nor Glen Fitzpatrick capitalised on chances to further extend the lead, it was hard at half-time to see the Northerners scaling the mountain they had to face.
Within 70 seconds of the second-half getting under way they did at least start the ascent with Killian Brennan feeding Pat McCourt whose footwork, balance and timing proved too much for Brian Shelley and Graham Gartland. Arriving in the centre to tap home was Deery who skipped a celebration in favour of fetching the ball back for the restart.
City, now playing with three at the back and Deery on the right side of a five man midfield, then enjoyed their best spell of the game but chances were hard to come by in the face of some formidable defending and gradually Paul Doolin's men began to get back on top.
Anxious to change the pattern of things again Kenny threw on Clive Delaney as a forward but his side were by now looking increasingly vulnerable at the back where Fitzpatrick squandered one good chance, O'Brien forced Darren Kelly into a goal line clearance and Barrett twice came within a whisker of completing his hat-trick with Forde doing well to deny him on the first occasion.
His moment finally came, though, two minutes from time when, once again, he skipped in from the left and beat the goalkeeper with a right footed strike that clipped the inside of the far post as it went in.
Though his side's previously slender hopes of winning the title were being entirely killed off by events at the Showgrounds Barrett celebrated with sufficient exuberance to earn himself a booking. All around him City players looked despondent, realising, no doubt, that if arbitration does not restore their game in hand this week their own hopes of overhauling Shelbourne at the top of the table will be little more than mathematical.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Connor; Shelley, Gavin, Gartland, Grey; Whelan, Robinson, Keegan, Barrett; Fitzpatrick (Ristilla, 85 mins), O'Brien (Lynch, 92 mins).
DERRY CITY: Forde; Deery, Hutton, Kelly, Holmes; McCourt, Martyn (Higgins, half-time), Molloy, Brennan (Delaney, 77 mins); Beckett (McHugh, 52 mins); Farren.
Referee: H Whoriskey (Dublin).
