Drama at Dayle-mount Park
Bohemians 0
Drogheda Utd 1
By DAIRE WALSH
Dayle Rooney produced the goods at Dalymount Park last night as Drogheda United snatched a dramatic victory over ten-man Bohemians.
Seemingly heading for a scoreless draw against the Gypsies, the visitors sensationally snatched all three points with a superb 93rd-minute finish from substitute Rooney.
Drogs showed four changes from their Louth derby defeat to Dundalk. Darragh Markey, Luke Heeney, Dylan Grimes and Chris Lyons were all picked as Kevin Doherty’s men looked to address a winless streak that had stretched to five games in all competitions.
The hosts played with great energy during the early exchanges and Drogs netminder Colin McCabe was forced into a fine save from James Clarke early on.
McCabe came to the aid of Drogs on the resumption by tipping over Clarke’s looping header before Gypsies centre-half Ciaran Kelly found the side-netting from the corner.
Bohs suffered a setback on 70 minutes when skipper Jordan Flores was dismissed for a second yellow-card offence.
Drogs were presented with a glorious chance to push on for victory in north Dublin.
And just when it looked like a share of the spoils was on the cards, Rooney – who had replaced the lively Foley inside the final-quarter – unleashed an unstoppable effort into the bottom right-hand corner.
SUN STAR MAN: Dayle Rooney (Drogheda Utd)
BOHEMIANS: Ryan 7; Doherty 7, Feely 7, Kelly 7, Murphy 7; Flores 7, Clarke 7; Twardek 7, Mullins 6 (Burt 68, 6), McDaid 6 (McManus 73, 6); Varian 6 (Coote 68).
DROGHEDA UNITED: McCabe 7; Heeney 6 (Noone 68), Quinn 7, Cowan 7, Massey 7; Deegan 7, Markey 7; Foley 7 (Rooney 78, 8), Nugent 7, Grimes 7; Lyons 7 (Williams 73, 6).
REFEREE: B Connolly (Dublin).