Soccer

Shamrock Rovers wear Drogheda United down and leapfrog them at top of the table

Hoops go ahead of Derry City on goal difference at summit of Premier Division

Shamrock Rovers’ Lee Grace celebrates scoring their second goal. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Shamrock Rovers’ Lee Grace celebrates scoring their second goal. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Paul Buttner
Fri May 09 2025 - 22:15

League of Ireland Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers 3 (Greene 50, Grace 53, Gaffney 90+3) Drogheda United 0

Aaron Greene scored his second sublimely-taken goal of the week as Shamrock Rovers wore down Drogheda United at Tallaght Stadium to leapfrog them to the top of the Premier Division table.

Central defender Lee Grace provided the assist for Greene’s opener before heading a second himself in a dynamic three-minute spell early in the second half which effectively sealed the points.

Substitute Rory Gaffney added a third goal in stoppage time following a defensive blunder.

A second win over Drogheda this year, and a seventh of the campaign, thus sees Rovers back at the summit, on goal difference ahead of in-form Derry City, for the first time since winning their four-in-a-row titles at the end of the 2023 season.

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With Josh Honohan returning at left-wingback the only change from Monday’s win over Sligo Rovers, Hoops enjoyed plenty of possession throughout a first half of utter frustration for Stephen Bradley’s side.

With a solid shape and focus, Drogheda came to spoil with goalkeeper Luke Dennison spoken to for timewasting as early as the 10th minute.

Nonetheless, it was Kevin Doherty’s side who had the game’s first real opening two minutes later when Shane Farrell curled a free kick not far wide.

As was the case in Monday’s win over Sligo, Rovers had to show patience in moving the ball to find openings, finally cutting Drogheda open when going direct on 25 minutes.

Jack Byrne’s long ball over the top found the run of Greene in behind. He worked it back to Matt Healy who fed Graham Burke to drive straight at Dennison.

Rovers’ patience looked to have finally paid off six minutes later following incisive approach play by Danny Grant, Burke and Byrne which resulted in Owen Lambe tripping Honohan to concede a penalty.

Burke had opened the scoring emphatically from the spot against Sligo on Monday. But it wasn’t to be on this occasion. The penalty lacked conviction as it arrowed wide off the base of a post.

Rovers upped the tempo from the restart, tenaciously pinning Drogheda inside their area.

And whatever may have been said at half-time worked as they were 2-0 up inside eight minutes.

The opening goal in the 50th minute caught Drogheda’s back line flat footed as Grace dinked a telling pass in behind. Greene controlled the dropping ball superbly on his chest before turning and calmly lobbing it over Dennison for a delightful fourth goal of the campaign.

Three minutes later, Dennison pushed a shot from Healy out for a corner.

Byrne’s delivery was on the money as Grace rose highest to get his head to the ball and find the net for his second goal of the season.

Gaffney then capped Rovers’ dominant evening three minutes into added time.

Dennison merely succeeded in heading an attempted clearance from outside his area against Michael Noonan with the ball rebounding to Gaffney who walked it into the net.

Derry City move second after an 82nd minute Danny Mullen goal gave them a 2-1 victory away to second-bottom Cork City, the Candystripes fifth win in six games.

Derry led from the 27th minute at Turner’s Cross when Gavin Whyte set up Liam Boyce for his fourth goal of the season before Dutch striker Djenairo Daniels scored a 62nd minute equaliser.

Kerr McInroy scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as champions Shelbourne came from behind to beat St Patrick’s Athletic 2-1 at Tolka Park.

Mason Melia had given the Inchicore side a first half lead before Harry Wood levelled three minutes into the second half.

A 27th-minute strike from Darragh Leahy brought Waterford a 1-0 victory over Galway United at the RSC as they made it four wins on the spin in new manager John Coleman’s first game in charge.

Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Grace, Lopes, C. O’Sullivan; Grant (J. O’Sullivan, 84), Nugent (Ozhianvuna, 84), Healy, Byrne (Barrett, 84), Honohan; Burke (Gaffney, 73); Greene (Noonan, 83).

Drogheda United: Dennison; Ahui, Keeley, Cooper (Oluwa, 59); Lambe, Farrell (Cruise, 72), Brennan (Bolger, 63), Heeney, Kane; Davis, Douglas-Taylor.

Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).

Attendance: 6,101.