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The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Day to forget for Drogheda United as Shamrock Rovers rub salt into the wound after CAS appeal verdict
DROGHEDA UNITED felt they never got a rub of the Greene - as their Conference League expulsion was followed by defeat to Shamrock Rovers. Aaron Greene was the Hoops match winner as the league leaders came from behind to see off the dogged Drogs and extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points. But Kevin Doherty's Drogheda United just felt it was a day where nothing would go their way. Their appeal against UEFA's decision to deny them Conference League entry under the multi-club owner rule And they were then aggrieved by a big decision going against them that gave Rovers' their equaliser just four minutes before half-time. It happened when Dylan Watts' ball drifted through to Luke Dennison just before Graham Burke arrived only, for the referee to then give a handball against Andrew Quinn. Read More On Irish Football It was given by assistant referee Emmett Dynan - and Hoops' fans who had the same view as he did were adamant it was handball - though no one on the pitch argued for it. Yet when the Drogs had retreated ten yards and Burke had curled the ball around the wall and just inside Dennison's right-hand post. It meant the Drogs were upset for the second time of the evening even as they came to terms with the confirmation that they will not be in the Conference League. Never before had the Drogs pre-match song 'Don't worry be happy' been so appropriate, as the crowd got into it with the first 'Drogheda 'til I die' coming' in the third minute. Most read in Football And they took the lead in the fourth. A high corner from the left by Shane Farrell was met by a towering George Cooper as he climbed above Josh Honohan and Cory O'Sullivan to head powerfully into the net. Chelsea launch Club World Cup campaign with 2-0 victory over LAFC in Atlanta But that was as good as it got for the home side as the Hoops seized control after that and rarely even let them out of their own half. The could have equalised a minute later only to be denied three times. Honohan's cross from the right found Trevor Clarke rushing in from the left but his volley was brilliantly palmed away by Luke Dennison. There were then two more chances as Burke's follow-up was blocked by Quinn and Watts shot straight at Dennison. 1 Aaron Greene's strike in the 74th minute secured the 2-1 away win But for the most part, Rovers' could not find a way through the massed ranks of claret and blue with Quinn especially seeming to get his head to everything. And, there was always a risk that the Drogs could conjure something from a set-piece or on the break, with Farrell forcing Ed McGinty into a flying save on 31 minutes. But Burke's goal four minutes before half-time left the Drogs feeling aggrieved and saw gaffer Kevin Doherty booked for his protests. HOOPS FRUSTRATION Not that the Hoops were any happier with referee Neil Doyle, who walked off the pitch at half time escorted by Rovers' Stephen Bradley and Glenn Cronin, and Drogs No. 2 Daire Doyle. The visitors were further incensed when he failed to award a free when Cooper took down substitute Michael Noonan when he would have been through on goal on 70 minutes. But by then, the game had slipped into the same pattern as the first half with Rovers pressing and Drogheda looking for breakaways. The hosts had half chances with Quinn twice leading the charge out, but the Hoops' bench press - Noonan, Jack Byrne and Danny Mandroiu came on - made the difference. And they did unpick the Drogs lock 16 minutes from time when Byrne fed Danny Mandrou on the edge of the area and his first time pass slipped Greene in to coolly finish. The Drogs did push for an equaliser and Warren Davis headed over while Byrne came close to wrapping it up for Rovers with a curling effort. But the hosts were again aggrieved in injury time as goalkeeping coach Aaron Shanahan was sent off for his protests over a call going against the Drogs. Sun Star Man - Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers) Drogheda United: Dennison 6; Cooper 7 (Harper-Bailey 71, 6), Keeley 7, Quinn 7; Cruise 6, Heeney 6, Farrell 7, Kane 7; Markey 5 (Brennan 56); James-Taylor 5 (Davis 65, 6), Oluwa 5. Shamrock Rovers: McGinty 7; Grace 7, Lopes 7, C O'Sullivan 7 (Byrne 65, 7); Honohan 7, Watts 7 (Noonan 65, 6), Healy 7, Clarke 7 (Grant 76, 6); Nugent 5 (Mandroiu 7, ht), Burke 7 (Cleary 79, 6), Greene 7. Referee: N Doyle (Dublin) 4.
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
LOI: Shamrock Rovers nine points clear after Drogheda win
Shamrock Rovers have moved nine points clear at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division table. The Hoops came from behind to beat Drogheda United 2-1 tonight at Sullivan and Lambe Park. Advertisement George Cooper had given the hosts an early advantage, but Graham Burke and Aaron Greene both found the net to give the visitors all three points. Elsewhere, at Richmond Park, Shelbourne beat St Patrick's Athletic 1-0 Ali Coote's 10th minute effort was the difference between the sides.
The Irish Sun
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Shamrock Rovers go top of Premier Division for first time in TWO YEARS as Greene, Grace, and Gaffney down Drogheda Utd
SHAMROCK ROVERS moved top of the table for the first time since they won four in a row thanks to their Triple-G threat. Aaron Greene and Lee Grace scored two goals in three second-half minutes in Tallaght before Rory Gaffney netted a comical third in injury time to sink yesterday morning's table-toppers 2 Shamrock Rovers trounced Drogheda Utd Credit: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile 2 Lee Grace, Aaron Greene, and Rory Gaffney netted the goals Credit: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile It was the first time Rovers have been top since 2023 when they lifted their fourth title in four years. And the second-half onslaught ensured a missed Graham Burke penalty and the frustration of the first period — when the Drogs did what they have been doing to so many teams — was all forgotten. Rovers boss Doherty said on TV that it was incorrect as his team was the second-least fouled team in the league, though in truth, like the league itself, it is a condensed table with the most-fouled team only winning two more free-kicks per game. Read More on League of Ireland But it was clear from early on that Drogheda are indeed very good at what they do, which is soaking up pressure, running down the clock and hitting teams on the break. Early on, Bradley was complaining about visiting keeper Luke Dennison wasting time. The stopper was warned after ten minutes by referee Rob Harvey and soon jeered by fans. But while Dennison was certainly taking his time when he could, he rarely had the chance as the ball was not often in Drogs' possession. Instead, it was the Hoops moving the ball, both patiently and impatiently, and looking to carve open the second-meanest defence in the league. Most read in Football They were given a great chance to take the lead on 32 minutes, winning a penalty after Josh Honohan went over a trailing leg of Owen Lambe. Before it could be taken, there was a delay as Shane Farrell made his way into the area before sitting down and calling for treatment. 'Nothing surprises me' - Stephen Bradley reacts to ex-Shamrock Rovers star Liam Burt's social media outburst And whether or not that wait put off Burke, he dragged his shot as it struck Dennison's left-hand post and went wide. Rovers kept passing and looking for openings but the Drogs were causing them problems with their few forays forward. Farrell put a free-kick wide early on and Warren Davis flashed a shot just off target when offside. But the second half saw Rovers make adjustments and seize control. Greene netted on 50 minutes when he broke the offside trap on to Grace's lofted pass forward and controlled the ball on his chest before firing over the advancing Dennison. Moments later, the keeper had to palm away a Matt Healy shot for a corner, only for the Hoops to score again off that set-piece. Having been the provider for the first, Grace became the scorer for the second as he rose unmarked on the penalty spot to head home Jack Byrne's corner. Drogheda were forced to take more risks after that and they did push bodies forward looking for a goal to get back into it. But with Byrne's trickery in the middle of the park and Rovers knowing they did not need to chase the game, it played into the hosts' hands. There were several half-chances as Roberto Lopes and Gaffney went close while Dennison had to deal with a host of dangerous set-pieces. And he was caught out in injury time when he raced out of his area to head clear a long ball but only succeeded in heading it against Michael Noonan, with the ricochet falling for Gaffney to slowly but surely roll into an empty net. SUN STAR MAN Lee Grace (Shamrock Rovers) SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty 7; Grace 8, Lopes 7, C O'Sullivan 7; Grant 7 (J O'Sullivan 84, 6), Healy 7, Nugent 7 (Ozhianvuna 84, 6), Honohan 7; Byrne 8 (Barrett 84, 6), Burke 7 (Gaffney 72, 6); Greene 7 (Noonan 72, 6). DROGHEDA UNITED: Dennison 5; Ahui 7, Keeley 6, Cooper 6 (Oluwa 59, 6); Lambe 6, Brennan 6 (Bolger 63, 6), Heeney 5, Kane 6; Farrell 5 (Cruise 72, 6); James-Taylor 6, Davis 6. REFEREE: R Harvey (Dublin) 6.
Irish Independent
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Shamrock Rovers replace opponents Drogheda United at the top of the table after convincing home win
Shamrock Rovers 3 Drogheda United 0 Granted, the Premier Division table has proved absurdly congested so far as the season approaches the halfway point. But for the first time this year Shamrock Rovers are at the summit, albeit on goal difference. There is a long, long way to go still, but this weekend they are sitting exactly where they want to be. Drogheda United arrived at the Dublin 24 venue top of the league but the Hoops have taken that spot off them for now, as two quick-fire goals from Aaron Greene and Lee Grace shortly after the restart saw Stephen Bradley's men extend their unbeaten run against the FAI Cup champions to eight games.
Irish Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shamrock Rovers wear Drogheda United down and leapfrog them at top of the table
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. READ MORE 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.
