Shamrock Rovers 5 Drogheda United 3
Danny North’s hat-trick for Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium sunk Drogheda United to the bottom of the table and into the First Division.
Twice Drogheda led in their pursuit of the win to ensure safety but the superiority of Rovers told on a night of high drama.
Relegation wasn’t the only issue at stake as the home side knew victory could be enough to usurp Cork City for runners-up spot if their rivals Bohemians delivered a rare favour across the city against John Caulfield’s side.
Fulfilling their part of their bargain looked promising early on. Damien Duff, who was back in the team, was effective enough operating behind striker North to suggest his man-marker Sean Thornton was going to have a busy night.
Spilled
The Drogheda United midfielder was certainly in the thick of the action in a positive way as it was from his corner that the visitors forged ahead on 17 minutes when goalkeeper Barry Murphy spilled Alan Byrne’s header into the path of Daly, who couldn’t miss from six yards.
Rovers hit back within a minute. After Patrick Cregg freed Gary McCabe down the right channel, first to react to his low cross was Byrne but only to cannon the ball of his own defender Robert O’Reilly and straight into the net.
Whist that might have been the cue for the Hoops to reassert their dominance, instead they were undone again from another set-piece.
Seán Brennan spotted Tiarnan Mulvenna unmarked from a quickly taken free and the striker required just one touch before beating Murphy with an exquisite curler.
Still, with Duff always alert, there was plenty of scope for Rovers to mount a comeback.
After letting the man-handling in the box of the former Ireland attacker go during the first half, FAI Cup final referee Dave McKeon adopted a stricter approach nine minutes after the restart when Byrne sent Duff sprawling.
Up stepped North to convert the penalty for their second leveller.
Pounce
With 15 minutes left, North’s eighth goal of the season put the hosts ahead for the first time and push Drogheda towards the drop. He was on hand to pounce after Micheal Schlingermann allowed Brandon Miele’s effort to slip from his grasp on the greasy surface.
Two substitutes, Ryan Brennan and Kieran Marty Waters, combined in the 83th minute for the fourth goal, the latter sprinting clear to finish from 10 yards.
Lee Duffy’s half-volley then reduced the deficit two minutes later but the pinball fare didn’t end there as North bagged his third from the spot in stoppage time, an incident compounded for Drogheda by Thornton’s red card.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy, Madden, Kenna, D O'Connor, L Byrne, Cregg (Drennan 66), McPhail (R Brennan 83), McCabe, Duff (Waters 80), Miele, North.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Schlingermann, Daly, O'Reilly, A Byrne, Marks, Whelan (Duffy 71), Thornton, Marks, S Brennan (Donnelly 78), Mulvenna (Treacy 60), Pender.
Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).
