Gary Twigg scored a hat-trick as Shamrock Rovers responded to last week's hammering by St Patrick's Athletic with an emphatic 6-0 win over Dundalk.
Two first half goals in three minutes left Dundalk reeling, as Chris Turner and Twigg both headed in from close-range.
Billy Dennehy fired in a third goal from a free-kick less than a minute after the restart. Twigg grabbed his second header before taking the match ball with calm finish. Substitute Daryl Kavanagh flicked in the sixth in injury-time.
The win sees Rovers close the gap to leaders Sligo Rovers to just one point, while Dundalk's attacking woes continue as they have scored just twice in seven games.
Rovers boss Stephen Kenny made four changes to the side that had been beaten 5-1 by St Pat's, as in came Conor Powell, Conor McCormack, Gary McCabe and Gary O'Neill.
The Dundalk team showed two changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Shelbourne last weekend with Dan Cunningham and Gary Shanahan starting.
The visitors had started the game brightly as they moved the ball well on the right through young Ben McLaughlin and Paul Walsh.
Rovers' first period of good play saw Turner and O'Neill combine on the edge of the box to create space for Dennehy. The winger's well-struck effort went wide.
Twigg then blocked Dennehy's goal-bound effort after Peter Cherrie had clawed away O'Neill's header.
Dundalk were left rattled as Rovers took control with two quick-fire goals on the half hour.
Turner headed in the opener after Craig Sives had nodded McCabe's looping free-kick back across goal.
Twigg added the second, and his sixth of the season, after he was given the space to head in Ronan Finn's cross.
It could have been worse for Dundalk as Finn's long-range effort smacked off the post in between the goals.
Dennehy should have extended the advantage before the break when he fired wide after Cherrie pushed O'Neill's shot into his path.
Dundalk introduced Shane O'Neill and Peter Thomas at the break, but there was no time for them to make an impact as Dennehy drilled in the third just seconds after the restart.
Cherrie was given no chance by Dennehy's strike that flew low around the wall and into the bottom corner.
O'Neill thought he had scored a fourth for Rovers when he directed Twigg's cross into the net. However, referee George Kelly ruled that O'Neill had used his arm.
Dundalk's defence was found wanting again midway through the half when Dennehy's corner was headed over by the unmarked Turner.
A rare Dundalk break saw Shanahan get clean through on goal. However, he chose to pick out substitute Bob McKenna rather than shoot and Sives scrambled the ball clear.
With the home side cruising, Twigg claimed his second header of the night when he glanced McCormack's right-wing cross past Cherrie via the far post.
The Scottish striker completed his hat-trick, and his first at Tallaght, on 87 minutes after playing a quick one-two with McCabe and calmly rolling the ball in the far corner.
There was still time for Kavanagh to dive in at the near post to divert Turner's cross into the bottom corner.
Shamrock Rovers: Oscar Jansson; Conor McCormack, Craig Sives, Ken Oman, Conor Powell, Gary McCabe, Chris Turner, Ronan Finn (Killian Brennan '84), Billy Dennehy (Daryl Kavanagh '80); Gary Twigg, Gary O'Neill (Aaron Greene '80).
Subs not used: Stephen Rice, Graham Gartland, Sean Gannon, Reyaad Pieterse.
Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Ben McLaughlin, Derek Foran, Liam Burns, Dan Cunningham; Paul Walsh (Shane O'Neill h/t), Chris Shields, John Mountney, Stephen McDonnell (Peter Thomas h/t); Michael Rafter (Bob McKenna '73), Gary Shanahan.
Subs not used: Luke Danville, Chris Reilly, Robert Watters, Ger Hanley.
