After a night of unexpected drama in Drogheda ended with more glory by that method, Rovers fans can start to dream about going back there.

Ed McGinty was the hero, the goalkeeper making three stops to drag his side over the line. Darragh Markey had the chance to win it after Daniel Cleary fired the first sudden death penalty over the crossbar, but McGinty was alert to push his effort wide. And when Pico Lopes slotted the next effort past Luke Dennison, the focus turned to sub Dare Kareem who also couldn’t find a way beyond the winter arrival from Sligo Rovers.

His time at Tallaght started with a loss to Molde in a Febrary shootout. But his legacy will be shaped by the format if Rovers go on to become double winners this year, the one box they haven’t ticked under Bradley. The competition has caused them heartache since becoming the dominant team of the decade.

McGinty’s heroics will mean devastation for Drogheda who might have believed it was destiny if they’d seen off the Hoops after prevailing in Derry in the last round thanks to the brilliance of Dennison when he faced Candystripes efforts from 12 yards.

There’s a certain finality about their cup exit as the mission to retain their trophy was used as a motivating force when they were kicked out of Europe.

The fairytale ended here, and Kevin Doherty will take little comfort from pushing the league leaders all the way.

And it was a special moment that delivered that.

With seconds remaining in normal time, it looked like Rovers had done enough to efficiently see things out.

A stoppage time double sub that saw midfield maestros Matt Healy and Dylan Watts replaced suggested that Bradley was thinking about wasting seconds rather than an additional 30 minutes.

Drogheda United were throwing everything at their search for an equaliser, but time was their enemy. Then, a hopeful ball into the box caused a bit of chaos, Rovers subs Darragh Nugent and Aaron Greene got themselves in a tangle and Owen Lambe scooped the ball to the far post where defender Andrew Quinn was on hand for a spectacular acrobatic finish that prompted scenes of euphoria.

We should have known that Drogheda weren’t going to go down quietly, yet the frustration for Bradley is that his team did have chances to kill the tie off in the final quarter. Greene was culpable of an error on one occasion, while Dennison did well to deny Watts after a mazy run. Doherty’s team pride themselves on their resolution, yet they had to open up in their attempt to cancel out Graham Burke’s first half opener.

That was a goal which highlighted the quality in the Rovers ranks, with a slick pass from Danny Mandroiu releasing the thrice capped 31-year-old who didn’t need to look up to know where the bottom corner was. His finish was precise.

Rovers were on top, but there was local outrage when Mandroiu avoided a red card for a challenge on Conor Kane where he appeared to lose control on the greasy surface. Doherty and his assistant Daire Doyle were cautioned for their reaction and there was extra feeling in it because the ref, Neil Doyle, was in charge when the Hoops benefited from a controversial decision on their last visit here in June.

That was the day that Drogheda learned their European dreams were over, the story that has hung over the entirety of their campaign. Hence, the desperation to get back to Ballsbridge. While they had to ride their luck at times as they chased the equaliser, they were asking tough questions too. Lopes – fresh from the exhilaration of the Cape Verde qualifiers that have put him on the verge of the World Cup – had to make a goalline clearance in the midst of a frenetic scramble that summed up the momentum the Drogs were gaining.

After all his air miles, he was the last person that wanted a 120 minute outing but this venue tends to bring visitors crashing back down to earth. With Burke, Mandroiu and Rory Gaffney also withdrawn during the second half, Rovers had to dig in and trust their squad depth. Their bench is envied by others for a reason and Aaron McEneff tested Dennison in the first period of extra-time as Rovers exerted pressure but had to be vigilant with Kareem and Thomas Oluwa poised to test the battery power on the counter.

For all that the giddy Drogheda crowd roared every advance, they appeared to recognise that taking it to stop kicks was the best route to victory. Instead, it will bring a level of disappointment that will send the club back into mourning again.

Drogheda United: Dennison, Bolger (Kareem 75), Keeley, Quinn; Lambe, Heeney (Farrell 61), Brennan (Doyle 56), Kane; Markey; Davis (Cooper 96), Thomas (Stretton 61; Oluwa 91)

Shamrock Rovers: McGinty, Cleary, Lopes, Grace; Grant, Healy (O’Neill 90), Watts (Nugent 90), Honohan; Burke (Greene 75; McGovern 116), Mandroiu (McEneff 75); Gaffney (Noonan 59)

Referee: Neil Doyle