Bray Wanderers earned a magnificent victory over league leaders Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium, while Derry and Bohemians also claimed wins on Friday evening.
Shamrock Rovers 0-1 Bray Wanderers
Reigning champions Shamrock Rovers fell to their first defeat of the Airtricity League season to an inspired Bray Wanderers outfit at Tallaght Stadium.
A superb strike from Danny O’Connor after only six minutes proved to be the difference between the sides in front of a sizeable crowd at the south Dublin venue.
Gary Twigg could have put the Hoops in front early on but shot wide from close range and Rovers were made to pay for their profligacy when O’Connor put Bray in the lead with a stunning long range effort after only six minutes.
Far from sitting on their lead, Bray took the game to the hosts and could have been further ahead at the break, but Conor Murphy’s shot from the edge of the area was too close to Alan Mannus in the Rovers goal.
Rovers, who lost Gary Twigg to a hamstring injury shortly before half-time, weren’t much better after half-time and although they enjoyed the majority of the possession, it was Bray who looked the more likely to add to their tally.
With Sligo Rovers not in action until tomorrow night, Rovers remain on top of the table on 13 points, with Bray three points further back in fifth place.
Derry City 2-0 Dundalk
Derry City’s impressive start to the season continued at the Brandywell as the Candystripes claimed a comfortable win over Dundalk.
The game was as good as over at half-time after two goals in five minutes midway through the opening half put the hosts firmly in the driving seat.
Gareth McGlynn put Derry in front just after half an hour with an assured finish after being played through by Patrick McEleney and Eamon Zayed doubled the lead four minutes later with a close range finish from James McLean’s delivery.
Ross Gaynor and Mark Quigley had chances to get Dundalk back into the game after the break, but the visitors failed to trouble Derry ‘keeper Gerard Doherty and Stephen Kenny’s side closed the game out with little difficulty.
The win sees Derry climb to second spot in the table, two points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers, while Dundalk lie in seventh place with only seven points from six games.
UCD 0-2 Bohemians
A goal at the end of each half was enough to give Bohemians victory over UCD at the UCD Bowl on Friday evening.
Owen Heary, who is currently managing the Gypsies’ reserve side and operating as the club’s promotions officer, opened the scoring with a header from Killian Brennan’s corner at the end of the first half, while Anto Flood sealed the win ten minutes from time with a cool finish after a defensive mistake from UCD defender Hael Haro.
Bohs were full value for their victory after dominating throughout and could have won by more had Anto Flood and Stephen Traynor converted first half chances. Graham Rusk had a decent effort for the Students after the break, but the result was never in doubt.
The win sees Bohemians move to third place, level with second-placed Derry on 11 points, while UCD continue to struggle and remain second from bottom, only two points ahead of Drogheda United.
Drogheda United 1-1 Galway United
Struggling Drogheda and Galway United played out an entertaining draw at Hunky Dorys Park which keeps both sides in the bottom three.
The hosts, who have yet to win this season, looked for a long time as if they might put an end to the run, only for Sean Kelly to equalise for the Tribesmen in the second half after Philip Hand had put Drogheda in front early on.
With their first attack, Drogheda went in front, after Hand turned David Freeman’s low cross in at the near post. Galway came back into the game after that setback and were well worth their equaliser when it arrived seven minutes after the break.
Shaun Kelly’s cross from the right deflected into the path of the other Sean Kelly, who shot powerfully past Stephen Trimble in the Drogheda goal.
Galway thought they had won it five minutes before the end when Stephen Walsh headed home a free-kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside and both sides had to be content with a share of the spoils which leaves them well off the pace in the table.
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