The Hoops drew their sixth game of the season following a scrappy encounter in Tallaght Stadium. Both goals came in the first period and while both sides had chances in the second-half a late late surge by the Hoops couldn't deliver the elusive winning goal.

The game was scrappy in the early stages but the Drogs had a good chance to take the lead on 11 minutes when Ryan Brennan glanced a header wide from a good position in front of goal.

[GOAL 0:1 - 14th min.] The visitors grabbed the lead when Grimes cross into the box was deflected and Paul O'Conor reacted quickest to head the ball past Brush and into the corner of the net.

Rovers never got into the game in the opening 20 minutes and it was the Drogs again who created a chance when Ryan Brennan shot straight at Brush from just outside the box.

[GOAL 1:1 - 24th min.] The Hoops were level with a training ground set-piece as Sean O'Connor picked out Ronan Finn just outside the box from a corner and the Hoops number 21 controlled the ball before shooting low through a number of players past Sava in the Drogs goal and into the corner of the net.

On 28 minutes another O'Connor corner caused problems for the Drogs defence and the ball was returned into the box and Sheppard's glancing header went across goal. On 34 minutes Sava punched away a Finn cross under pressure from Sheppard. On 41 minutes the Drogs 'keeper was only booked for a lunging tackle on Sheppard outside the box as he chased a through ball.

The Boynesiders should have taken the lead with two minutes remaining when a quickly taken free-kick released Gavin Brennan down the left and his pinpoint low cross picked out Cassidy in front of goal but fortunately he placed his shot over the bar from close range.

The second-half started with neither side capable of creating an opening. Stephen Rice was harshly booked for diving in the area when he stumbled over a challenge just inside the box following a decent run. Rovers first chance came when Foran's ball to the back post saw Rice stretch to head the ball wide of the target.

Drogheda's number 28 Alan Byrne was heading away the Hoops attempts to get Sheppard clear and Rovers were also guilty of wasting a number of free-kicks from good positions around the Drogs box. On 69 minutes Stephen Rice hooked the ball clear in front of his own goal as Gannon attacked Gavin Brennan's cross. Rovers forced three corners in the 76th minute but the visitors defence stood firm.

Ciaran Kilduff was introduced with eleven minutes remaining and he added some zest to the Hoops attack. However Rovers almost handed Drogheda the lead on 83 minutes when Conor McCormack headed the ball past the hesitant Rovers 'keeper following a long ball forward and sub Marks got to the ball but thankfully McCormack got back to block his shot on the unguarded Hoops goal. Richard Brush did well to punch away a corner under pressure from Gannon with 4 minutes left on the clock.

Rovers left it late to put the Drogs under serious pressure but a number of good moves in the dying minutes almost yielded a winning goal. A Conor Powell ball forward saw Quigley head the ball on for Kilduff to chase but 'keeper Sava just got there first.

As the game entered the three minutes of added-on time Derek Foran went on a run that saw him beat two defenders before unleashing a shot that beat Save but clipped the right-hand post and went wide. Finn then crossed for Foran to head across goal for Quigley to knock the ball goalwards but Sava blocked his effort. The last chance of the game saw sub McCabe's clever through ball fall for Quigley in front of goal on the left-hand side of the six-yard area but he scooped his shot over the bar.