Brennan bags winner as Drogheda shock 10-man Shamrock Rovers

Drogheda United produced the shock the season so far as they condemned ten-man Shamrock Rovers to defeat at Head In The Game Park courtesy of Ryan Brennan's first-half goal.

Defeat for Derry City at the Showgrounds means no life has been breathed into the title race as a result of this reverse. But Stephen Bradley will hardly be happy that his side mustered very little having trailed for over an hour of the contest.

The champions had an extra day to prepare too, having dispatched UCD with ease last Thursday evening.

Brennan, a former Rovers player, found the net eight minutes before the interval. It was completely against the run of play, not that the home faithful cared too much about that.

Rovers were without the suspended Roberto Lopes – with Lee Grace returning - but Jack Byrne passed fit after picking up a knock in the win against UCD last Thursday.

United had to make do without on-loan Darragh Nugent who couldn’t play against his parent club. Centre-back Sean Roughan was serving a one-game ban after his dismissal in Friday’s win over Finn Harps.

Brennan was making only his fourth start of a season disrupted by injury early on.

The Drogs victory three days earlier was all the more vital considering they welcomed the in-form champions for the concluding part of a busy double-fixture weekend. Now, six from six leaves them looking up the table as opposed to nervously over their shoulder.

United lost captain Dane Massey inside 10 minutes in a further depletion of their defensive stock. That change required an extensive reshuffle by boss Kevin Doherty.

Midfielders Georgie Poynton and Luke Heeney were thrust into unfamiliar roles at left back and right back respectively, while Evan Weir shifted inside to partner 36-year-old Keith