League of Ireland/Drogheda United  1 Bohemians  0:It may be rash to suggest a club which waited as long as Drogheda did to win a trophy of any kind has had its fill of cups after picking up three in as many seasons. But as the home support celebrated Tony Grant's late goal here last night there seemed little doubt they'd have taken this win and the three points that come with it over the chance to change things, having suffered defeat by a similar scoreline in the cup to the Dubliners a few weeks ago.

Brian Murphy looked well on the way to keeping his 12th clean sheet in 18 Premier Division games this season before Grant met Shane Robinson's cross from the left with the looping header that sank his former team.

Bohemians wouldn't have been remotely flattered by the draw, but they paid the price in the end for allowing their marginal first-half superiority to slip.

United are rewarded this morning for the late pressure they exerted in pursuit of the win with a four-point lead at the top of the table.

The defeat is a blow to Sean Connor, who remarked beforehand that his team could not afford to lose if they were to retain serious hopes of catching the pacesetters.

Even before the game he was obliged to defend the way this Bohemians side plays their football, and some of his more outspoken critics were clearly among the travelling support.

Having put United out of the cup on their last visit to Louth, however, he and his players had some cause for confidence as they rolled into town, and it showed through the first half as the Dubliners shaded what was, in less than ideal conditions, a tight but nevertheless entertaining contest.

In terms of possession there was little in it, but the visitors carved out the better chances over the first hour, thanks to some decent approach play and a couple of erratic moments from Drogheda's goalkeeper, Dan Connor.

The former Waterford United man could, however, point with pride to the save he made after a quarter of an hour when Mark Rossiter sent in a low, curling cross from the right and Glen Crowe stole a yard on Brian Shelley to turn the ball goalwards from close range.

More than once, indeed, United's defending was a little slipshod, and when Darren Mansaram seemed set to leave Graham Gartland for dead late in the half, the central defender was remarkably fortunate after yanking him back by the shirt to escape without even a booking.

By that stage, though, Owen Heary and perhaps Shelley too were lucky to be still on the pitch following the Bohemians right back's challenge on Shane Robinson and his opposite number's reaction to it.

In the end, referee Ciarán Hancock wrapped up a hat-trick of first-half errors - while also evening things up - by denying United a penalty when Dean Pooley took down Eamon Zayed.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Connor; Shelley, Tambouras, Gartland, Gray; Whelan, Robinson, Byrne, Keddy; Zayed (O'Keeffe, 86 mins), Ristila (Grant, 66 mins).

BOHEMIANS: Murphy; O Heary, Burns (Hunt, half-time), Pooley, Powell; Rossiter (Harkin, 75 mins), Rice, T Heary, Byrne; Crowe, Mansaram (Fenn, 71 mins).

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).