Shamrock Rovers 0 Drogheda United 0:  A TERRIFIC late save and then the woodwork deprived Shamrock Rovers of a second win over champions Drogheda in a game of two halves at Tolka Park last night.

With the watch in the 89th minute, Drogheda goalkeeper Jamie Ewings produced a brilliant stop to push Alan Murphys stinging free-kick over the bar.

Drogheda failed to clear the resulting corner and Darragh Maguires miscued shot fell to Padraig Amond whose audacious back heel came back off a post.

A draw was a fair result as though Rovers had the better chances in the second half, defeat would have been undeserved on Drogheda as they had much the better of the first half.

Drogheda, keen to avenge their opening-day home defeat, started purposefully against an under-strength home side and would have been two goals to the good at the break but for goalkeeper Barry Murphy.

The Rovers goalkeeper first excelled on 16 minutes when former Hoops striker Tony Grant controlled Ollie Cahills long ball from left back to turned and shoot to force Murphy to turn the ball round a post.

Murphy had to show his agility once again on the half hour. Cahill's cross from the endline was only partially cleared by Rovers skipper Aidan Price. The ball was returned quickly to the area, again finding Grant, whose curling shot, destined for the top corner, was pushed out for another corner.

Tadhg Purcell forced a corner from Eoin Doyles shot on 48 minutes before Drogheda had a double let-off 10 minutes later. Amonds drilled shot was cleared off the feet of Ewings while Cahill put his body in the way of half-time substitute Murphys follow-up.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: B Murphy; G O'Brien, Ferguson (A Murphy, half-time), Price, Treacy; S OConnor (Langtry, 78 mins), Maguire, Rice, Doyle; Purcell, Amond.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Ewings; Shelley, Gavin, Gartland, Cahill; Hughes, Keegan, Byrne; OKeeffe (Iyane-Thiam, 79 mins), Grant (Bates, half-time), Robinson.

Referee: T Connolly (Dublin).