St Patrick's Athletic 0 Drogheda United 2: Mark Leech scored a brace of goals his legendary father Mick, dubbed the "Jimmy Greaves" of Irish football in a prolific career with Shamrock Rovers a generation ago, would have been proud of as Drogheda took their chances in a very frustrating night for St Patrick's.

Drogheda manager Paul Doolin must have been pleased when playing Sami Ristila, nominally a midfielder, up front with Leech, who was making only his second start in the league.

The travesty of the first half was that Drogheda trooped off a goal to the good after 45 minutes dominated by the home side.

But it's goals that count and Drogheda got their lead with their first effort on target on 28 minutes, 19-year-old Leech scoring his first senior goal for the club with a textbook header from a Ristila cross.

Drogheda had goalkeeper Dan Connor to thank for holding that lead until the break as he made brilliant saves to deprive Robbie Doyle, Darragh Maguire, Gerard Rowe and then Barry Prenderville to leave the home side utterly bewildered.

Drogheda enjoyed their best spell of the match on the resumption and effectively killed off the game with their second goal on 60 minutes.

Former Finnish international Ristila again provided the assist, picking out Leech on the edge of the area. The teenager did the rest, drilling a left-foot shot past Barry Ryan.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Ryan; Quigley, Prenderville, Maguire, Bell (O'Keeffe, 70 mins); Fahey, Caffrey (Maher, 76 mins), Donnelly (M Foley, 77 mins), Dunne; Doyle, Rowe.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Connor; Lynch, Gartland, Gray, Webb; Sullivan (Reilly, 77 mins), Whelan, Ristila (Rooney, 61 mins), Bradley, Sandvliet; Leech.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).