National League Shelbourne - 3 Drogheda Utd - 0 While a couple of their Dublin rivals had a night off due to Shamrock Rovers being away on InterToto duty league leaders Shelbourne produced a good night's work at Tolka Park last night where goals from Stephen Geoghegan, Jim Crawford and Ollie Cahill helped the club take a six-point lead at the top of the table.
Shelbourne could have gone in front within 30 seconds when Jason Byrne missed the target from close range after Richie Baker had broken down the right from the kick-off. But Geoghegan put the locals in front after 14 minutes when, after picking up possession from a David Crawley throw-in on the right, the striker turned his marker before sending a deflected shot past Gary Rogers.
It had been Shelbourne's third chance of the game but after the goal the modest crowd were not treated to any further goalmouth excitement for almost half an hour as United successfully tightened things up a bit at the back but remained unsure how to turn a fair amount of midfield possession into a serious attacking threat.
In the centre of the field Drogheda's Dom Tierney and Darren Beesley coped well in their tussle with Jim Crawford and Thomas Morgan and on the left Gary Cronin struck a reasonable balance between attempting to contain Richie Baker and looking to exert some pressure on Owen Heary.
Up front, though, there were rarely particularly attractive passing options with the Shelbourne defence smothering almost everything that United knocked their way.
When the visitors were presented with a rare free-kick inside their opposition's half seven minutes short of the break, however, Crawley was just a little too enthusiastic about hampering Andy Myler as he sought to meet the ball and the former Dundalk left back was fortunate that the striker, having picked himself up to take the penalty, failed to even hit the target.
Within a couple of minutes Pat Fenlon's side finally sprung back into life with Kevin Doherty rattling the crossbar with a close-range header and Cahill then shooting just wide. However, the single goal was their only advantage at the turnaround.
Drogheda manager Harry McCue attempted to add a little more of an attacking presence on the right side of the pitch by throwing Neil Tarrent on up front and switching Declan O'Brien to the wing. The bigger man's presence up front opened the way to a slightly more direct approach but it was still Shelbourne who created space for themselves in midfield.
Byrne might have been the chief beneficiary of the improving approach play by the Dubliners but narrowly missed out on adding to Shelbourne's lead on a couple of occasions.
When Owen Heary struck a beautifully floated cross towards Crawford half an hour into the second period, though, the midfielder guided it home with a delicately judged header and four minutes later Cahill killed the game completely with a marvellous goal.
The winger rounded his marker as he moved in from the left and then curled the ball into the top corner with his right foot.
The goal lit up an otherwise rather subdued night's football and the three-goal winning margin reflected fairly well the difference between the two sides.
SHELBOURNE: Williams; Heary, Doherty, Rogers, Crawley; R Baker, Morgan, Crawford (S Byrne, 80 mins), Cahill (Hoolahan, 84 mins); J Byrne, Geoghegan (D Baker, 62 mins).
DROGHEDA UNITED: Rogers; O'Connor, Scully, Lynch, Kelly; Quinnless (Tarrent, 53 mins), Tierney (Flanagan, 71 mins), Beesley, Cronin (Jones, 79 mins); Myler, O'Brien.
Referee: A Kelly (Cork).
