Drogheda United 2 Galway United 0

President Michael D Higgins was in attendance as Drogheda United recorded a 2-0 win at home to Galway United on Friday night, a scoreline which saw the Louth side record only their second clean sheet of the season.

Despite their contrasting fortunes in recent weeks, it was the Boynesiders who made the much brighter start with Lee Duffy looking menacing from the off. However the game’s first foul on 22 minutes resulted in the first shot on target as Enda Curran forced Michael Schlingermann into a diving stop.

Drogheda were thankful again for Schlingermann as Pádraic Cunningham was closed down by the goalkeeper who made an excellent block.

The home side then took the lead when Mark Hughes threaded a pass through to Duffy who was aided by Cormac Raftrey’s missed clearance and the striker rounded Conor Winn to calmly slot the ball into an empty net.

Drogheda almost doubled their lead just before the break when Seán Thornton hit the post with a well struck free.

A corner just after the re-start whipped in by Ryan Connolly dropped to Curran but his snap shot was wide of the post. That was as close as Galway would come in what was a very dour second-half performance.

Duffy was heavily involved in Drogheda’s second as he beat the Galway cover and shot from inside the box which was parried by Winn to Seán Brennan and he laid the ball into the path of Thornton who took a touch and smashed home from seven yards out.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Schlingermann, Gorman, O'Reilly, Byrne, Daly, Marks (Walshe 84), Thornton, Hughes, Brennan (Maher 82), Whelan (Kavanagh 75), Duffy.

GALWAY UNITED: Winn, Raftery (Ludden 41), Sinnott, Walsh, Horgan, Shananhan, O'Leary, Connolly, Keegan, Curran (Byrne 77), Cunningham (Molloy 70)

Referee: B Connolly (Dublin)