Drogheda boss Kevin Doherty: win over Dundalk tops them all

DROGHEDA UNITED 2 (Frantz Pierrot 55, Hayden Cann 90+4)

DUNDALK 1 (Jamie Gullan 80)

For a part-time club, Drogheda United are the full-time disrupters of the Premier Division pecking order.

They’ve accepted their inability to fund an operation all nine of their top-flight rivals have adopted renders them an outlier but they compensate through other virtues.

Last year, there was no lack of financial punch to Cork City’s ultimately unsuccessful quest to leapfrog the Drogs.

This season’s falling giant, Dundalk, are also struggling to synchronise economics to results.

Although there’s still just over half of the season left, Drogs enjoy a five-point buffer on their Louth rivals.

When yesterday’s derby was poised at 1-1 heading into the last 10 minutes and Drogs had lost goalkeeper Jethren Barr to a red, Dundalk could visualise the bottom of the table being left behind.

The last club to win the title before Shamrock Rovers had finally won after 12 games, that victory over Bohemians sandwiched between draws against Sligo Rovers and leaders Shelbourne.

It ensured the Lilywhites wouldn’t be cut adrift at the foot.

Now they’ve blown their chance of catching their neighbours for the time being, the broader pack ahead comes their eyeline.

Yet, that coterie of teams – Galway United, Sligo Rovers and Waterford – are also collecting wins while they falter.

Kevin Doherty’s celebrations at a packed Weavers Park illustrated the magnitude of these three points for Drogheda. Former player Killian Phillips, back on a break from Crystal Palace, led the joyous scenes.

“We’ve had great wins here against Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk and St Pat’s – that was a 94th minute winner last year – but this tops them all because of the