Goals from Mark Doyle and Brandon Bermingham saw ten-man Drogheda United fight back to rescue a point against Shamrock Rovers II at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Rovers II took the lead in the first minute, as Liam Scales met Brandon Kavanagh’s corner, and headed in at the near post.
Drogheda had a succession of free kicks as they looked to find an equaliser. Hyland fired wide with one before taking the next one short.
Brown then crossed towards Tuite at the back post, Pohls dropped the ball before gathering at the second attempt before Lyons could pounce.
Hyland saw his next effort from play deflected into the palms of Pohls before Rovers had a chance a minute later, with neat footwork from Oluwa playing in Kavanagh.
He looked to beat Odumosu but the Drogheda keeper managed to get down low to make the save.
Rovers II doubled their lead on 22 minutes from another corner, won after Oluwa’s shot took a deflection.
Kavanagh again delivered from the left and this time, Sean Callan met the delivery to head past Odumosu.
It went from bad to worse for Drogheda on 28 minutes as Mark Hughes was shown a straight red for a late lunge on Rovers II defender Liam Scales.
A double change followed with Luke Heeney and Brandon Bermingham replacing Jordan Adeyemo and Richie O’Farrell, and two minutes later, Drogheda had halved the deficit.
Hyland brought the ball down, controlling well, before finding Chris Lyons. Lyons drove forward and found Mark Doyle who made no mistake, firing into the far corner past Pohls.
Drogheda were forced into replacing substitute Luke Heeney just eight minutes after he came on the field after a poor challenge from Darragh Nugent, saw the Bellewstown native leave the field injured.
John Ryan had an effort saved by Odumosu before James Clarke broke forward for Drogheda, beating a number of Rovers II players and found Lyons, but the forward saw his effort deflected over the bar.
Rovers II almost restored their two goal lead nine minutes into the second half as Max Murphy found Brandon Kavanagh.
He decided to lay the ball off to Oluwa but the winger watched his effort hit Odumosu’s post before Drogheda cleared.
Rovers II hit the woodwork again ten minutes later, with Oluwa this time turning creator. The winger broke down the left, held the ball up until Dean Williams arrived in support but the forward’s strike struck the bar.
A run over half the length of the pitch from Conor Kane with fifteen minutes to play saw the full back play a ball to the back post to Bermingham, but the winger found the side netting.
Two minutes later Doyle fired over from a Hyland corner before James Clarke’s 25-yard-effort narrowly rose over Pohls bar.
Brandon Kavanagh saw a curling effort saved well by Odumosu before Bermingham produced the moment of the match to earn Drogheda a point with seven minutes to play.
A Rovers II throw in, deep inside their own half, was flicked on by Oluwa to a teammate before Jack Tuite, inside the opposition half, won the ball back.
Tuite found Bermingham, who held off his man before producing a stunning strike, into the top corner, past Leon Pohls, from 25-yards.
Rovers II: Leon Pohls; Max Murphy (Alex Dunne 83’), Sean Callan, Liam Scales, John Ryan (Dylan Duffy 59’); Adam Wells, Sean Brennan (Dean McMenamy 71’), Darragh Nugent (C); Brandon Kavanagh; Thomas Oluwa (Sinclair Armstrong 83’), Dean Williams (Kevin Zefi 71’).
Unused Subs: Kian Clarke (GK), Jordan Tallon.
Drogheda United: David Odumosu; James Brown, Hugh Douglas, Jack Tuite, Conor Kane; Mark Hughes, Jake Hyland (C); Jordan Adeyemo (Brandon Bermingham 29’), Richie O’Farrell (Luke Heeney 29’ (James Clarke 38’)), Mark Doyle; Chris Lyons.
Unused Subs: Ross Treacy (GK), Ryan O’Shea, Sean Brennan, Stephen Meaney.
Sent Off: Mark Hughes (28’).
Referee: Adriano Reale.
