Clancy leads Drogheda back to Premier League

Three seasons and two near misses were all forgotten about at Stradbrook tonight as Timmy Clancy guided Drogheda Utd back to the top flight of League of Ireland football for 2021.

Trim man Clancy took the reins at the Louth club late in 2017 after they were relegated to the First Division and he took the Louth men to the promotion play-offs in 2018 losing out to Finn Harps.

Last season Clancy took Drogheda a step further, to the play-off final, but once again they lost out to Harps in the two-legged play-off final with the Donegal side winning 2-1 in extra-time in the second leg at Finn Park.

Tonight Drogheda got the automatic promotion place with second-half goals from James Brown and Meath man Luke Heeney that sealed the title as they defeated Cabinteely by 2-0.

A win was all that was required regardless of what happened to Bray who went into their game at Athlone two points adrift in second place - Bray also won.

Bray now have the play-offs as a possible route to the Premier League.

Whoever qualifies from the play-off series will have a final game against

the ninth placed Premier side - currently Finn Harps.

Cork City will replace Drogheda in the First Division for next season after they were relegated last Saturday.

The trophy was hovering between Stradbrook and Athlone but was directed to the Dublin venue in the closing stages of the game.