HIGHLIGHTS: Drogheda United 1-3 Shelbourne - Shelbourne Champions

Shelbourne have been crowned First Division winners after they defeated 10-man Drogheda United 3-1 at United Park.

Two goals in the final ten minutes from Oscar Brennan and Lorcan Fitzgerald was enough to defeat a spirited Drogheda side who had Sean Brennan dismissed early in the second-half.

Shels’ best chance of the first-half arrived only two minutes later when Ciaran Kilduff powered beyond Farragher but Gratzer was off his line to smother the effort.

Drogheda gradually grew into the game as they began to work the ball into the Shelbourne box with both Mark Doyle and Luke McNally heading wide.

A long throw on the stroke of half-time released Chris Lyons down the right and he cut the ball back for Stephen Meaney but his close range strike was brilliantly blocked by Luke Byrne.

The game swung the way of the hosts ten minutes into the second-half when Sean Brennan, who had been booked earlier for dissent, was shown a second yellow card for a late aerial challenge in the box.

Shelbourne made their man advantage count soon after as Ryan Brennan laid the ball off for Aiden Friel who fired an unstoppable strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Drogheda, to their credit, didn’t give up and they got their rewards on 77 minutes when a remarkable individual run from Lyons ended with the striker cutting the ball back for defender turned striker Luke McNally to fire high into the roof of the net.

The visitors were not to be denied their crowing moment and it came in the final ten minutes as Oscar Brennan controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing a volley that was too powerful for Gratzer to deal with.

It was to get even sweeter for the Reds as Lorcan Fitzgerald added a third in stoppage time following a Drogheda corner to seal their long awaited return to the Premier Division.