Nine-man Shels pay penalty as Drogs march on
DROGHEDA remain on course for an immediate return to the Premier Division after prevailing in the playoff semi-final on penalties to meet Finn Harps on Friday.
Saves in the shootout by Paul Skinner from Lorcan Fitzgerald and Adam Evans made the difference on a night of high drama at Tolka Park.
Shels led 1-0 from Friday’s first leg but their goalscorer at United Park was one of two players to be sent off in the first half.
Reece McAteer was the first to be red-carded by Tomas Connolly after just 10 minutes, incurring his second yellow card in the space of three minutes for tripping Mark Doyle.
Drogs made the breakthrough on 32 minutes as Sean Brennan was left unmarked inside the box to rifle a low cross from Chris Lyons into the top corner.
It went from bad to worse for Shels five minutes later as James English’s lunge on Jake Hyland earned him a straight red and a stretcher for his opponent.
Owen Heary’s side could only withstand so many let-offs like Ciaran Kelly’s wayward header early in the second half.
Lyons eventually added Drogheda’s second by cutting in from the right before rounding Dean Delany and tucking home.
Despite looking dead and buried, and Drogheda’s suspended manager Tim Clancy in jubilant mood sitting in the stand, Shels forced extra-time and penalties with 14 minutes left when Karl Moore’s cross allowed substitute Adam Evans to toe-poke in from close range.
But Drogheda eventually got over the line in the shootout.
SHELBOURNE – Delany; Wilson, Prendergast (O’Sullivan 120), A Byrne, R McEnteer; Hughes, Kavanagh (Farrell 101); English, Moore, Fitzgerald; Moorhouse (Evans 66).
DROGHEDA UTD – Skinner; Deasy (McCaffrey 46), Farragher, Gallagher, C Kelly, Kane; S Brennan, Purdy (Amour 103), Hyland (Hondermarck 39); M Doyle, Lyons.
REF – T Connolly (Dublin).