Drogheda Utd 1 Dundalk 2:A BRAVE showing by bottom of the table Drogheda against their high-flying neighbours fell just short as Dundalk came back from a goal down at the break to win it six minutes from time.

Dundalk made all the running in the opening 20 minutes as Mark Quigley sent a header wide and shortly afterwards clipped a shot over the bar. Keith Ward’s shot came back off the post before Daniel Kearns’ effort was saved by Stephen Trimble.

In their first attack of the match Drogheda went close to scoring through Daniel Corcoran. However, in their next move forward the home side did open their account when Corcoran picked up the ball from Mark Nolan’s long throw before driving his shot past Peter Cherrie.

In the closing stages of the half Stephen McDonnell’s shot wasn’t far away from levelling while at the other end Cherrie flapped at a free before the ball rebounded off the unknowing Victor Ekanem.

Dundalk began the second half brightly with Kearns flashing his shot narrowly wide and Quigley hitting the bar with a header. The visitors did draw level just short of the hour when Colin Hawkins met Ross Gaynor’s corner and powered his header to the net.

With six minutes remaining the north Louth side grabbed the winner through poor defending by the home side as Gaynor chased a lost cause and found Kearns who sent a looping header to the net.

DROGHEDA UTD: Trimble; Nolan, Hand, McNally, Ekanem, M O’Brien (Flynn, 85 mins), Quigley, Gannon, Corcoran (C O’Brien, 72 mins), Hanaphy, Freeman.

DUNDALK: Cherrie, Madden, Hawkins, Hector, Kearns, Quigley, Byrne, Gaynor, Murphy, McDonnell, Ward (Breen, 72 mins). Referee: A Kelly (Cork)