eircom League Premier Division -
Drogheda United 0
Shamrock Rovers 1
(Glass 69)
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Longford Town 0
Derry City 1
(Hutton 88)
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UCD 0
(Cawley s/o 89)
Bohemians 1
(Morrison 15)
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Report: Rovers up to fourth with goal from U21 Glass
Drogheda United are still looking for their first win under manager Paul Doolin as a second-half goal from Shamrock Rovers’ U21 Mark Glass was enough for Liam Buckley’s visitors to take their second win of the season away from 02 Park.
With Derry winning against Longford, Drogheda have now plummeted into the bottom two of the Premier Division, but still have to face fellow strugglers Derry (home) and UCD (away) in the coming month.
In a poor game, Rovers took their third win in a run of five games, to move ahead of Waterford and St Pat’s into fourth in the league. The game’s only goal came on 69 minutes when Glass arrived in the box to side foot home Stephen Grant’s squared ball.
Report: Late winner for struggling Derry at Longford
Peter Hutton’s second goal of the season, two minutes from time saw Derry City win for the first time in four attempts against Longford tonight, and for the first time since their 2-0 June victory over Shelbourne, their opponents next Saturday.
Cup finalists Longford suffered their third league loss in their last four games, as Hutton stepped up from the back to drive home a deflected Ciaran Martyn cross from the edge of the area, for manager Gavin Dykes’ first win in the eircom League since taking over from Dermot Keely.
Longford could have been two up inside 20 minutes but midfielder Philip Keogh was off target with a 12-yard shot and central defender Barry Ferguson headed a 17th minute corner just over the top of Alan Gough's goal. Derry striker Michael Holt sparked a renewed team effort with a rising drive on 22 minutes.
Then Gareth McGlynn crossed for Holt to head wide just after the half hour mark before Eamon Doherty saw his shot from outside the area deflected wide by Longford's Sean Prunty. The second half was mostly a drab affair, the only highlight being a Shane Barrett shot which shaved the Derry crossbar on 67 minutes, before Hutton stepped up to seal a famous Candystripes’ win.
Report: Bohemians cut Shels' lead to five points
A Dave Morrison header after a quarter-of-an-hour at a bitterly cold Belfield Park was enough for Stephen Kenny’s Bohemians to move second in the Premier Division table, just five points behind leaders Shelbourne, with a game in hand.
Bohs’ thirteenth win of the season and fourth success from four over the luckless Students was garnered against a backdrop of ill will as their travelling support barracked current UCD boss Pete Mahon, the former Gypsies’ supreme, from the stands.
In fact there was more action off the pitch than on in the opening half, as hailstones threatened to turn the game into a lottery. The visitors started with the same eleven which beat St Pat’s 4-2 at Richmond Park last Friday and had the game’s first goal from their third attack. Striker Robbie Doyle whipped in a crisp free kick from the right wing on 15 minutes and the onrushing Morrison stooped to head home past UCD stopper Pat Jennings at the near post, for his third goal in two games.
UCD’s Tony McDonnell and Mick O’Donnell scrapped in midfield for possession but the reigning league champions controlled the game for long periods and should have had a second when a high cross from the left was just headed wide by defender Colin Hawkins, seven minutes before the break.
Substitute Paul Keegan had the second half’s best chance two minutes before full-time when he shot wide from a Glen Crowe through ball, before UCD’s night went from bad to worse with the sending off of midfielder Alan Cawley for a foul on Bobby Ryan.