Bohemians ran riot at Dalymount Park to stay in touch with leaders Shamrock Rovers at the top of the League of Ireland Premier Division table.
Both sides were initially evenly matched and a stranger would have found it hard to work out which side was second from the top and which was second from the bottom. But Bohs’ class shone through eventually.
Jason Byrne put them ahead on 27 minutes, firing past the diving Steve Williams, having taken advantage of weak Drogs possession. Joseph Ndo doubled the lead on the half hour, but the pick of the goals came from Conor Powell on 53 minutes, with a delightful lob over Williams. Glen Crowe knocked in the fourth in added time.
There were early chances at either end, with one of the best a rasping shot from Bohs’ Killian Brennan that was well saved by Williams on 16 minutes.
Bohs goalkeeper Brian Murphy gave his side a scare on 24 minutes when he failed to grasp Ross Gaynor’s low drive at his near post, but he cleared up at the second attempt.
Drogs soon faded and Bohs took full control with those first two goals in quick succession. Firstly, Byrne capitalised on a mistake to rush in and fire past the diving Williams from the left on 27 minutes.
Drogs were just coming to terms with that opener when they fell further behind on 30 minutes. Brennan’s corner was knocked back out from the area to the right where Ndo pounced to crash a shot off the woodwork and into the net.
Bohemians started off the second period where they had left off and Powell made it 3-0 on 53 minutes in spectacular fashion. He got on Brennan’s ball, raced down the left wing, and unleashed a cracking lob that sailed over Williams into the top right corner of the net.
The damage could have been greater for Drogs but for some excellent saves by Williams, notably from Paddy Madden on 70 minutes and from a Neale Fenn free on 72 but sub Crowe beat him with the last action of the game in added time.
Bohemians: 1 Brian Murphy, 2 Owen Heary, 3 Conor Powell, 4 Glenn Cronin, Brian Shelley; 6 Ken Oman, 7 Paul Keegan, 8 Joseph Ndo, 11 Killian Brennan (12 Anto Murphy 74 mins); 9 Paddy Madden (15 Glen Crowe 80 mins), 10 Jason Byrne (16 Neale Fenn 67 mins). Unused subs: 25 Matt Gregg, 14 Sean Byrne. Booked: Brennan 45+1 mins.
Drogheda United: 1 Steve Williams; 2 Scott Gibb (13 Ian Ryan 80 mins), 3 Robbie Clarke, 4 Conor Kenna, 5 Alan McNally; 6 Paul Crowley, 7 Brendan McGill, 8 Brian King (12 Guy Bates 60 mins), 9 Jamie Duffy; 10 James Chambers (15 Paul Shiels 67 mins), 11 Ross Gaynor. Unused subs: 20 Paul Skinner, 14 Eric McGill. Booked: Chambers 35 mins.
Ref: Richie Winter.
