Pico Lopes can do no wrong, until he can. Exactly four weeks to the day that the Crumlin-born Cape Verde star went toe-to-toe with Lionel Messi and Argentina in the World Cup round of 32 clash in Miami, the Shamrock Rovers captain was shown his marching orders in injury time at Drogheda United.
The home fans enjoyed that one. The man watched by hundreds of millions of fans around the world just a few weeks ago, now sent off in front of 2,289 in Drogheda. He can have few complaints about it, his challenge on Shane Farrell was late and high.
It didn’t affect the outcome of the game, this one had scoreless draw written all over it at half-time as those in attendance stewed over a game severely lacking in quality.
There was a time in the not so distant past that Rovers went five SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division games without a victory against Drogheda, the Louth men laying credible claim to the title of the Hoops’ bogey team.
Nowadays, despite Drogheda’s upward curve in recent seasons, it is an altogether different story. Stephen Bradley’s team arrived unbeaten against their hosts in over three years, a run stretching 13 matches in league and cup.
That is 14 now, but as far as positives go, they are clutching at straws there. Rovers – just three days after their Champions League exit – were not at their best at Sullivan & Lambe Park, far from it.
Aaron Greene of Shamrock Rovers (L) in action against James Bolger of Drogheda United
Bradley made six changes from the side knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday night, including handing a debut to Will Fitzgerald.
Another new arrival in the window, Jonathan Afolabi, was kept in reserve again as Bradley handed starts to teenagers Michael Noonan and Naj Razi. Luke O’Regan, 21, was handed a first Rovers start too since his arrival from UCD.
The Drogs were more settled after an encouraging run of two wins and a draw in their last three outings with Alfie Bates replacing Brandon Kavanagh in the side.
The first half was largely a non-event. If only for John O’Sullivan hitting the post when he should have buried a shot past Luke Dennison, nothing of note would have happened at all.
Matt Healy started the move, lifting a ball into the area for Aaron Greene. The ball bounced kindly for the striker, coming off the underside of his arm, before he squared it towards O’Sullivan. The Hoops midfielder’s sidefoot shot hit the foot of the post.
Bradley was decisive at half-time, replacing Greene with newcomer Afolabi. On his return to the League of Ireland after two forgettable years in Belgium and the Netherlands, he was anonymous in his 45 minutes on the field.
The game was better, at least, after the restart. Lopes met a Jack Byrne corner with a near-post header that dropped just beyond the far upright. The tempo of the game had certainly picked up after the break, there was more urgency in Rovers game for sure.
Drogheda had a chance too. Thomas Oluwa jinked past a number of Hoops defenders but the underworked Ed McGinty was out quickly to smother.
Fitzgerald was next to go close. His diagonal run was picked out but he in turn couldn’t find the net with a tame shot on goal. He went close again before the end – as did Drogheda through sub Keegan Ancelin – but neither side could find a winner and Lopes faced an embarrassing exit on his return to league action.
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Edwin Agbaje, James Bolger, Conor Keeley, Conor Kane; Ryan Brennan (Brandon Kavanagh, 80), Alfie Bates (Jago Godden 59), Shane Farrell; Jason Bucknor (Warren Davis, 80), Thomas Oluwa; Mark Doyle (Keegan Ancelin, 63).
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Tunmise Sobowale, Roberto Lopes, Enda Stevens (Lee Grace, 82); Luke O’Regan, 68), Matt Healy, John O’Sullivan (Jack Byrne, 68), Will Fitzgerald; Naj Razi, Aaron Greene (Jonathan Afolabi, 46); Michael Noonan (Ben Mahon, 82).