Shamrock Rovers 3
Drogheda United 1
Jack Byrne gave Shamrock Rovers fans a taste of what they’ve been missing for the past twelve months as the Hoops returned to the top of the Premier Division table.
The Ireland international netted a stunning strike late in the first half after he’d picked out Sean Gannon for the opener with a perfect through ball on the turn.
Byrne, who was nursing a knock going into the game, was withdrawn for Graham Burke before the hour but had shown enough to earn the player of the match award.
Hoops boss Stephen Bradley may have had cause to regret the change as Evan Weir pulled Drogheda back within a goal, but Burke struck late on to calm the nerves.
A crowd of 4,107 filed into a freezing Tallaght Stadium - more than a thousand fewer than the opening game against UCD but a good showing for a Monday night game.
The majority home crowd didn’t have an awful lot to cheer about for the first 20 minutes, however, as an adventurous Drogs side took the game to Rovers.
Adam Foley, one of three changes made by Drogheda boss Kevin Doherty from Friday’s 2-0 defeat to Shelbourne, tested Hoops keeper Alan Mannus with a shot from 20 yards early on.
Moments earlier, wing-back Weir had found himself in space on the left and cut the ball back for Darragh Markey, but the former St Patrick’s Athletic playmaker couldn’t flick it goalwards.
Rovers, still smarting from Jamie McGonigle’s winner deep in injury time at Derry City on Friday night, struggled to find a rhythm in the opening stages.
Pico Lopes, whose mistake led to that winner, had two good chances to head in from Byrne corners but he put them over and wide respectively.
Byrne was the architect of the opening goal when it did arrive, somewhat against the run of play, midway through the half.
The midfielder dropped deep to receive the ball from Gary O’Neill and, with a quick glance over his shoulder, threaded through an inch-perfect ball for Gannon to run on to.
Gannon controlled the ball brilliantly with his first touch before steadying himself and arrowing the ball into the bottom corner of Colin McCabe’s goal.
If Drogs felt hard done by to go behind, they were doubly so three minutes before half time as Byrne scored a virtuoso solo effort to double the home side’s lead.
The playmaker picked the ball up on the left hand side, took two quick touches to set himself up and unleashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from 25 yards.
Rovers took control after the break but couldn’t find the third goal. Gannon’s flick from Byrne’s free kick, which was easily saved by McCabe, was the best of the chances.
Burke replaced Byrne just before the hour, while Drogheda brought on former Rovers striker Dean Williams and Mark Hughes for Dylan Grimes and Foley.
And they halved Rovers’ lead as Alan Mannus flapped at a Georgie Poynton’s cross. The ball fell for Weir, who adjusted his feet well and volleyed into the bottom corner.
Bradley made a quadruple sub as he looked to inject some impetus into his team and, with Drogheda pouring forward in the final ten minutes, one of them made the difference.
Captain Ronan Finn seized the loose ball as a Drogheda set-piece broke down and his through ball sent Burke through on goal and calmly he dispatched.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Hoare, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Sean Gannon (Ronan Finn 76), Dylan Watts (Richie Towell 76), Gary O’Neill, Andy Lyons; Jack Byrne (Graham Burke 57), Danny Mandroiu (Aidomo Emakhu 76), Aaron Greene (Rory Gaffney 76).
Drogheda United: Colin McCabe; Andrew Quinn, Sean Roughan (Chris Lyons 79), Dane Massey; Georgie Poynton, Gary Deegan, James Clarke, Evan Weir; Dylan Grimes (Dean Williams 59), Darragh Markey, Adam Foley (Mark Hughes 59).
Referee: Adriano Reale (Kildare)
