Soccer

Drogheda United stay unbeaten with draw in Sligo

Visitors’ Declan O’Brien cancels out Alan Keane’s first-minute opener

Sligo Rovers’s Alan Keane scored in the first minute. Photograph: Inpho
Sligo Rovers’s Alan Keane scored in the first minute. Photograph: Inpho
Mon Apr 07 2014 - 22:40

Drogheda United 1 Sligo Rovers 1
Drogheda United remain unbeaten but drop to fourth despite gaining a hard-earned point in Sligo last night.

A seventh goal of the season for Declan ‘Fabio’ O’Brien earned the visitors a point after Alan Keane had opened the scoring in the first minute.

It was a dream start for the Bit O’ Red, who were looking to kickstart their season following four successive 1-0 defeats.

Aaron Greene went on the offensive straight away and pulled a shot across goal on 40 seconds that captain Keane flicked home at the back post.

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The home crowd were silenced as O’Brien raced onto Carl Walshe’s ball in behind the Rovers defence in a swift 25th minute counter-attack, and O’Brien finished superbly.

Rovers were rattled, but got back on top, and David Ryan had to palm the ball over the top from a curling Greene free-kick that was heading for the top corner on 62 minutes.

Rovers really should have went back in front when Ross Gaynor did brilliantly down the left before picking out John Russell, who hit the crossbar from close range.

Rovers substitute Eric Odhiambo did put the ball in the net in the final minutes, but Padraigh Sutton's whistle had already whistled for a foul.

SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers, Keane, McMillan, Henderson, Gaynor, Ndo, O'Conor (Cawley 75), Russell, Djilali, Greene, Maguire (Odhiambo 68).
DROGHEDA UTD: Ryan, Holohan (McCann 67 (Daly 74)), McNally, McGuigan, Grimes, Walshe, Daly, Foley (Maher 67), Brennan, O'Neill, O'Brien.
Referee: P Sutton.