Better Sligo Rovers teams than this one have suffered bad defeats in Drogheda in recent memory.
But the implications of this reverse promise to be much more severe.
The Bit O’Red are staring relegation in the face after suffering a loss they could not afford in the battle of the bottom two.
Drogheda United will be looking upwards after a pair of first-half goals secured the victory that leaves their visitors cut adrift at the bottom. The gap is eight points with six games remaining.
Considering they haven’t won in the league since May, it’s optimistic to expect new boss Darren Purse can suddenly put a remarkable sequence together to prevent what appears to be the inevitable.
They simply had to win here, but ultimately came away with nothing thanks to a costly period before the interval where they conceded twice to a Drogheda side that just looked to be a little more cohesive and attuned to what the evening required.
A Sligo Rovers slip and a bit of additional quality from the hosts just about summed things up.
The breakthrough came when away ‘keeper Sam Sargeant claimed a corner and attempted to start a counter with a quick kick, but he lost his footing at the wrong moment and his scuffed clearance found Warren Davis.
These errors aren’t always punished but from 25 yards, Davis looped the ball into the net with a precision that a golfer in Doonbeg this week would be proud of.
It went from bad to worse for the guests who lost Jason Shorrock and Trey George – two of Purse’s new additions – to injury.
As they recovered, the Drogs pounced again with former Bohs full-back Edwin Agbaje stronger than Luke Pearce in a head-to-head and then reacting quicker to curl a left-footer past Sargeant.
That was basically game over with Drogheda happy to absorb pressure for spells of the second half while looking dangerous when they broke.
A brilliant Carl McHugh block denied Thomas Oluwa a third. Despite prolonged periods in Drogheda territory, Purse’s side couldn’t create a chance of similar quality.
For their fans, a long trip home beckoned.