On a wet and soggy night in County Louth the two sides served up an entertaining game for the large crowd. The home side started the better and two long range attempts in the opening 15 mins caused Barry Murphy some problems. The home side should have taken the lead on 18 mins when a quick move saw Kelly smash a volley off the Hoops left-hand post from close range. Rovers countered and won two successive corners and Twigg was on hand to open the scoring on 20 mins from close range after Maguire headed across goal.
The Hoops had more of the possession now but the home side were dangerous on the break and Madden made a fine tackle to stop Kellys run after 25 mins. Bradley's free-kick was on target after 32 minutes bur Williams was on hand to save.
Barrett went close again for the Drogs when he connected with Maguire's defensive header from a corner. The first-half ended with Barry Murphy advancing to make a fine block and a long throw-in from Madden reaching the box but neither Robinson or Baker could take control of the ball.
The second-half was just two minutes old when Shields ran from midfield and took advantage of Madden's slip to run on goal and fire past Murphy for the equaliser. The game was wide open now and Maguire headed just over the bar from a corner on 55 mins. Two mins later a good run and cross from Twigg found Baker at the back post but Williams advanced to block his shot.
The ever dangerous Barrett then headed just wide for the Drogs from Kelly's cross on 63 mins. A fine move by Rovers on 70 mins saw Robinson and Rice combine for Baker's shot to deflect back to Rice but the Hoops number 8 side-footed the ball just wide from close range.
The Hoops were made to pay two mins later when a Drogheda break down the left saw a cross find Farrell on the right and he duly fired past Murphy to give the home-side the lead. Rovers hit back and Williams had to tip over Maguire's bicycle kick before Bermingham's follow-up from 30 yards just missed the target. With both Tadgh Purcell and Padraig Amond introduced the Hoops laid siege to the Drogheda goal as the game entered the last ten minutes.
Madden's cross in the 82nd minute was met by Webb but Williams was equal to his header. Two minutes later Shane Robinson crossed from the left to the back post and Twigg was just off-balance as he headed the ball wide. Williams saved Amond's shot a minute later but the Rovers fans erupted when Madden's fine cross was met by Amond on 86 mins and the Hoops were level.
The home side weren't finished and a corner in the 88th minute was headed across goal and just wide of the Hoops post. Rovers continued to press for the winner and Rice saw his low cross almost touched into his own net by the Drogs number 4 before another Madden cross was headed agonisingly wide by Amond. Rovers forced a late late corner but just couldn't get the vital touch. It ended all-square and both teams could claim it was a deserved point.
