Shamrock Rovers underlined their title credentials once more with a comfortable 2-0 win over Cork City at Tallaght Stadium.
City have pushed Dundalk all the way for the past five years but it’s clear there are new pretenders to their throne in the form of Stephen Bradley’s Hoops.
Rovers remain level at the top on 40 points with Dundalk – the Lilywhites superior goal difference of two all that separates the sides.
Joey O’Brien finished brilliantly to record his first Shamrock Rovers goal before Roberto Lopes sealed it with his fourth of the season.
Rovers were in control from the first whistle, with the classy Jack Byrne to the fore, but it was City who produced the first chance.
Winger Daire O’Connor danced on the endline and aimed a cut-back towards Karl Sheppard, but captain Ronan Finn was on hand to hook clear.
Trevor Clarke forced Mark McNulty to palm clear when his cross looked like dropping under the crossbar before Dan Carr narrowly missed connecting with a Finn cross.
Clarke again went close from a wide area, his raking cross deceiving McNulty and bouncing back off the City crossbar.
The outstanding Byrne picked out Carr with a fine through-ball but his cross was too deep for Aaron Greene, before Lopes glanced a Byrne cross wide.
Rovers increased the tempo second half and deservedly led inside six minutes as Byrne and Dylan Watts worked the ball to Finn, and O’Brien swept his cross home left-footed.
O’Brien nearly had a second four minutes later as he met Byrne’s cross with his head but McNulty got down well to save outstanding at the base of the post.
He could do nothing about the resulting corner, however, delivered deep to an unmarked Lopes, who nodded home at the back post.
Garry Buckley forced a save from Alan Mannus and Sheppard’s shot was cleared by O’Brien as Cork looked to get back into the game, but the home side were in cruise control.
Clarke was denied a third in the dying moments as he raced clear and shot from a tight angle, his effort clearing the crossbar as Rovers eased to victory.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Joey O’Brien, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace, Trevor Clarke; Greg Bolger, Ronan Finn, Dylan Watts (Brandon Kavanagh 81); Jack Byrne, Dan Carr (Ethan Boyle 76), Aaron Greene (Dean Dillon 84).
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Colm Horgan, Sean McLoughlin, Conor McCarthy, Kevin O’Connor; Conor McCormack, Gearóid Morrissey (Pierce Phillips 67), Garry Buckley (Beneoin O’Brien-Whitmarsh 81); Daire O’Connor (Graham Cummins 70), James Tilley, Karl Sheppard.
Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).
