Shelbourne have enjoyed many memorable European nights of late, from Crystal Palace to Ajax, but it now looks increasingly likely they’ll finish the season without that adventure to look forward to for the first time since 2023.
For the second time in four days, it was a home defeat to forget for the Reds who suffered another major blow in the battle for fourth as Drogheda came from behind to secure a deserved, second successive win at Tolka Park.
With six games remaining, Shels have dropped to seventh and rather than looking up as they sit five points off fourth, an anxious few weeks await for John Russell’s side who are now just two points above ninth, albeit with a game in hand.
A season that began with high hopes is now flirting with the unthinkable, as Daniel Kelly’s early opener was cancelled out by a Warren Davis stunner and Leo Burney header either side of the interval.
Ninth is where Drogheda remain but after a second win in a row successive victory they are now level on points with Waterford just above them. If Kevin Doherty’s men show the levels they did here in the run-in, they have every chance of lifting themselves off the play-off spot.
Drogheda were the first to have the ball in the net on 18 minutes, as Conor Keeley rose highest to head home Brandon Kavanagh’s whipped cross, but the Drogs skipper was flagged offside.
On 22 minutes, the hosts found the opener and it all came from a fabulous through ball by Seán Moore, which cut through the visiting back line like a knife and put Kelly through on goal. The winger raced forward and kept his cool, dinking the ball over Luke Dennison.
However, rather than Shels kicking on, it was the Louth side who soon imposed themselves on the contest and after a few near misses, they were rewarded just before the break.
On a night where there was another goal of the season contender at the RSC, Warren Davis put his name in that conversation with a screamer from the edge of the box. The former Ireland U-21 jinked by three bodies and somehow still held onto the ball, before firing a rocket into the top corner.
It was an almost identical goal to the one the attacker scored at Tolka in March of last year. From a Shels point of view, it was terrible defending.
Energised by drawing level, the visitors kicked on and on the hour mark took a deserved lead. Kavanagh’s whipped free-kick across the face of goal wasn’t dealt with and Leo Burney broke free to head home from close range. Tolka Park had been silenced once more.
The Reds asked a few questions in the closing stages but it was too little too late, as a late penalty claim surrounding Keeley’s block on Kelly’s effort fell on deaf ears.
Drogheda have found Tolka a happy hunting ground lately and, yet again, they travelled back up the M1 with three points safely secured. For the Reds, a worrying run-in awaits for the 2024 champions.