Drogheda United ... 0 Cork City ... 0: Drogheda United will be disappointed after failing to take all three points from their encounter with third-placed Cork City at O2 Park yesterday. Clear-cut opportunities were at a premium, but it was the home side who had the better of the half-chances.

Drogheda also had a very strong penalty claim in the second half which was waved away by referee Damian Hancock.

Andy Myler and George O'Callaghan had early chances for their respective sides which were off target. Ciarán Quinn's strike for Drogheda was turned round the post by visiting keeper Michael Devine with 10 minutes gone. The visitors had two opportunities midway through the half when firstly O'Callaghan and then Greg O'Halloran saw their strikes from outside the box well held by United goalkeeper Gary Rogers.

Drogheda finished the first half strongly when Brian Kelly's strike from 12 yards brought the best out of Devine in the Cork goal. Then just minutes from the break Drogheda created the best opportunity of the half when Dom Tierney put Quinn through on goal. The striker tried to be too clever; instead of shooting instantly with just the goalkeeper to beat, he delayed and was dispossessed.

Quinn proved dangerous once more in the early stages of the second half when firstly shooting over from 16 yards and then being denied by Devine, who took the ball from his toe on 54 minutes. Just beyond the hour mark Danny O'Connor went down in the Cork box. However, referee Hancock waved away frantic Drogheda appeals for the penalty.

Devine came to Cork's rescue once more on 73 minutes when he saved brilliantly from Andy Myler. With five minutes to go at the other end Gary Rogers fingertipped a Colin P O'Brien shot to safety. Right on full-time Drogheda almost grabbed the win when substitute Derek Delaney was inches wide with his effort on goal.

DROGHEDA: Rogers; O'Connor, Gray, Lynch, Todd, Kelly, Tierney, Taylor, Quinn (Delaney 74), Myler, Dempsey.

CORK CITY: Devine; O'Halloran, Horgan, Daly, Murray, Reynolds, Carey, Bennett (Warren half-time), O'Flynn (Colin P O'Brien 76), O'Callaghan, Woods.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).