Drogheda United are still searching for their first win of the season following a poor scoreless draw at United Park last night. Bonfire night it may have been but there was little in the shape of real goalmouth action to warm the small crowd which turned out to see the Premier Division's basement clubs in action

The game had goalless written all over it from the start with a succession of chances, particularly to the home side, going a begging in the opening 45 minutes. Michael Harte, twice, Roy Fox and John Coady failed to hit the target when opportunity knocked.

And they were almost left ruing those misses in the second half as Kilkenny took control. However, they found Drogheda's new goalkeeper Gareth Byrne in superb form and he rescued his side on numerous occasions as the visitors carved through their defence with alarming regularity.

However, Drogheda almost snatched it in the final minutes as David Fairclough broke down the left. But substitute David Nugent just failed to get a touch on the ball as it veered across the goal.

Drogheda United: Byrne, Hill, Coady, Impey, J Reid, Murphy, Ramage, De Khors, Harte, Fox, Irwin. Subs: N Reid for Murphy, Nugent for Fox, Fairclough for Harte.

Kilkenny City: Stephenson, Devereux, Reid, Hall, Breen, Kelly, Power, Arrigan, Foster, R Walsh, Rea. Sub: Maher for Rea.

Referee: P Whelan (Dublin).