Drogheda Utd1 Galway1

DROGHEDA’S PUSH for European football next season ground to a halt last evening when bottom of the table Galway battled hard to share the points.

The Westerners were the better side in the opening 45 minutes but the second half was dominated by the Boynesiders, who should have won this one comfortably.

Galway took the lead after only five minutes when Shaun Maher’s headed clearance fell to Jonathan Keane 25 yards from goal out on the right and he volleyed over keeper Jamie Ewings.

The visitors went close to extending their advantage from a set piece as free-kick specialist John Lester drove the ball from more than 30 yards powerfully round the Drogheda wall but Ewings got down well to stop the shot and gather at the second attempt. Drogheda piled on the pressure early in the second half and Gary Rogers had to be at his best to deny Adam Hughes and Brian Shelley in quick succession.

With 65 minutes gone the home side’s dominance was rewarded when Shelley raced down the right before sending the ball on to Richie Baker, who whipped a wonderful cross into the box, which the in-form Eamon Zayed headed powerfully past Rogers.

A minute from time Drogheda nearly took all three points as Paul Keegan’s free caught the visitors’ defence napping but Shane Robinson failed to make contact on the ball with only Rogers to beat.

DROGHEDA: Ewings, Kendrick, Gartland, Robinson, Baker, Shelley, Zayed, Keegan, Maher, Cahill, Kuduzovic (Hughes 57). GALWAY: Rogers, McCulloch, Lester, Russell, J Keane (Murphy 64), A Keane, Jorgensen, Conneely, Fitzgerald, O’Shea, Foley.

Referee: I Stokes (Dublin).