Drogheda United moved to the top of the SSE Airtricity First Division and made a real statement as they hammered fellow promotion hopefuls Cabinteely 5-1 at United Park.
It was the visitors who started the stronger with Paul Fox giving them a lead from a free kick after just eight minutes but that was as good as things would get for Cabinteely.
The Drogs levelled three minutes later as skipper Jake Hyland poked home a loose ball from close range while Mark Doyle marked his 100th appearance for the club with a goal that gave his side a 2-1 lead.
The lead lasted until the second-half when any hopes of a Cabinteely fightback were quickly erased. Hyland made it 3-1 on 60 minutes with a wonderful free-kick from 25-yards out, which nestled in the top left corner.
Five minutes later and Drogheda had a fourth, with Doyle claiming his second of the night with another tap-in, and Stephen Meany rounded off the scoring on 89 minutes with a simple header at the back post after some neat build-up play.
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That victory sees Drogheda draw level on points with second-place Bray Wanderers, who ran out 3-1 winners at home to Athlone.
Athlone took the lead on 19 minutes when Adam Lennon capitalised on a mistake in the Bray penalty area to slot the ball home.
Bray levelled soon after when Ryan Gradyon finished smartly after a clever training-ground routine at a corner and they took the lead quickly after that with a low and powerful effort from Dylan Barnett.
Callum Thompson made sure of the points for the Seagulls on 74 minutes with his first goal for a club - a sweetly struck half-volley.
UCD could have joined Drogheda and Bray on 20 points but they suffered a surprise 3-0 defeat at home to Galway United.
All three goals came in the second-half with Enda Curran stabbing home the opener on 55 minutes before a headed own goal from Josh Cullen doubled Galway's lead 10 minutes later.
A fine striker from Stephen Christopher - after a mazy run - rounded off the scoring and saw Galway leapfrog Shamrock Rovers II into seventh place.
Rovers suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Cobh Ramblers with Conor Drinan scoring the game's only goal when he was the quickest to react to a bouncing ball in the penalty area.
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