Drogheda United 2, Dublin City 2: Drogheda struck late to rescue a point from a game that sprang to life only in the closing stages thanks to three late goals.

United appeared to be heading for yet another one-nil win when their leading scorer, Declan O'Brien, gave them the lead just beyond the hour. But Dublin City turned the game on its head when they levelled through Damien Brennan on 79 minutes and must have thought they'd won with Mark Rooney's goal on full time.

But O'Brien's second of the night dashed City's hopes.

United hit the front on 63 minutes when Simon Webb's deep corner was headed back across goal by Jason Gavin for O'Brien to force the ball home from close range. Drogheda should have made the game safe when Gavin Whelan broke down the right and crossed for Webb, who shaved the post with his shot.

City levelled 11 minutes from time when they won a free on the edge of the area, which Keith Doyle knocked into the United wall. The ball fell to Brennan, who drilled home the equaliser.

City appeared to win it when ex-Drogheda man Mark Rooney rifled an unstoppable drive to the net from 40 yards. But incredibly, Drogheda saved a point just 10 seconds from the end of the three additional minutes, when O'Brien headed home a rebound off a City defender following a corner.

This point took Drogheda back level on points with Cork City at the top of the Premier Division table but they remain behind the Leesiders on goal difference.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Connor, Webb, Gray, Gavin, Gartland, Robinson, Whelan, O'Brien, Shelley, Bradley (Lynch, 82 mins), Barrett (Fitzpatrick, 57 mins).

DUBLIN CITY: Rogers, Brennan, Doyle, Kelly, Malcolm (Freeman, 21 mins), Crowley, McGill, Whelehan, McCarthy (O'Donnell, 82 mins), Rooney, Pender.

Referee: Hugo Whoriskey (Meath).