SLIGO ROVERS took their time before brushing aside Drogheda to close the gap on league leaders Shamrock Rovers to just two points.

Eoin Doyle was the hero once more as his brace in this one brought his tally for the week to five.

Rovers began confidently as Daryl Horgan pulled his shot narrowly wide and both Richie Ryan and Alan Keane forced keeper Stephen Trimble into a couple of important saves.

Drogheda then enjoyed a spell of domination with Cillian Thompson lifting his shot narrowly over and Philip Hand volleying wide.

But it was the visitors who hit the front approaching the half-hour when Alan Kirby fed Iarfhlaith Davoren who in turn sent the ball in from the left to Eoin Doyle who applied the finish.

Minutes later Rovers should have had a second following a great run by Keane down the right flank who sent a dangerous ball into the box but unfortunately there was no Sligo player able to supply the touch required to send it home.

Richie Ryan rattled the Drogheda bar with a fine effort from twenty-five yards early on in the second half. For the next twenty minutes the game ambled along aimlessly until John Russell slipped Doyle in on goal, however, Trimble raced from his line to make to make the crucial block.

Sligo made the points safe fifteen minutes from the end when Davoren crossed for sub John Dillon who was all too easily allowed head the ball to the net by his marker Philip Hand who was rooted to the spot.

At this stage Drogheda fell apart as two quickly became three five minutes later when Dillon’s cross from the right picked out Doyle who struck for his second on the night and fifth in two games to seal the deal for the Westerners.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Trimble, Nolan, Hand, McNally, Ekanem, Gannon, Thompson (Gaul 61), Freeman, Hanaphy, Corcoran, McNamara (O’Brien 81).

SLIGO ROVERS: Kelly, Russell, Horgan (Dillon 63), Greene (Ndo 68), Peers, McGuinness, Davoren, Doyle (Cretaro 83), Ryan, Kirby, Keane.

Referee: N. Doyle (Dublin)