Bohemians 3 Drogheda Town 0: DROGHEDA TOWN midfielder Sean Brennan faced up to brother Killian in last night's FAI Cup third round clash at Dalymount Park.
And while family loyalties were split, there was no doubting the merit of the result with the Premier Division leaders making it six straight wins on the trot in a rather one-sided clash.
Town's form coming into this game had been encouraging, a winning run of five games from their last six ensuring their Leinster Senior League Division one status for another season.
Bohemians began the game brightly with John Paul Kelly, having been moved out to the wing for this game, ghosting past Alan Connor before just shooting just wide of the target.
Kelly then played in Glen Crowe on 10 minutes with Town keeper Gabrielle Sabatini saving from close range.
In any case the flag had already been raised but Bohemians eventually got the opener on the quarter hour when Kelly placed the ball low beyond the keeper after being played in by Crowe.
Bohemians could have had a second when Kelly again got the better of Connor before beating the keeper inside the box. Referee Derek Tomney, however, called for an earlier infringement much to the annoyance of the home support with Killian Brennan's subsequent free just falling inches wide of the keeper's right-hand post.
Town were riding their luck at this stage and attempts to push up on the half hour almost backfired disastrously when Kelly, having sprung the offside trap, attempted to walk the ball into the net only to be denied by Sabatini.
And panic continued to grip Town when moments later an underhit clearance saw possession handed back cheaply to Bohemians and Kelly really should have done better when failing to find the target off a ball played in by left full Mark Rossiter.
Following the retirement on 33 minutes of centre half Liam Burns. Jason Byrne came on as Fenlon switched to three up front and after Fenn had been denied by Sabatini, Byrne was to find the back of the net with six minutes to go in the first half.
Sabatini after saving from Brennan then pulled off a wonderful save just before half-time when he spread himself full length to deny Crowe from point blank range.
And in a much quieter second half, Town cleared a Jason McGuinness header off the line on 63 minutes. Man-of-the-Match Sabatini pulled off a series of saves to deny both Crowe and Byrne before Byrne lobbed him with three minutes to go.
BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Heary, McGuinness, Burns, Rossiter; Kelly, O'Donnell, Cronin, Brennan; Crowe, Fenn. Subs: Byrne for Burns (33 mins), Mansaram for Fenn (68 mins), Singh for Brennan (81 mins).
DROGHEDA TOWN: Sabatini; M Fitzpatrick, Connor, Downey, Farrell; Brennan, Kerins, P Fitzpatrick, Matondo; Tinley, Murtagh. Subs: Harding for Murtagh (79 mins), Craig for Connor, Gartland for Kerrins (both 89 mins)
Referee: D Tomney (Dublin).
