Shamrock Rovers got their season up and running with a comfortable first victory of the season over 10-man Dundalk at Oriel Park.
The reigning league champions came into the game without a win in their opening six matches - five draws and one defeat - but were already a goal ahead through Rory Gaffney when the home side were reduced to 10 men on 31 minutes with Robbie Benson given the first red card of his professional career by referee Arnold Hunter.
Rovers then doubled their lead through Lee Grace before Johnny Kenny and Graham Burke put the game to bed midway through the second half to ensure a first three points of the campaign for Stephen Bradley's side ahead of their Dublin derby tie away to Bohemians next Friday.
Stephen O'Donnell’s side did their best to make a game of it after Benson’s dismissal but it took until two minutes from the end to test Alan Mannus.
It was the visitors who threatened first on 13 minutes with Sean Kavanagh’s ball into Kenny seeing him fire just wide with Rory Gaffney’s follow up hitting the post.
The Hoops then took the lead on 22 minutes with former Lilywhite Daniel Cleary floating a superb cross to the back post over the head of Archie Davies for Gaffney to race onto and head across Nathan Shepperd to the bottom right hand corner.
Dundalk did have a golden chance to level six minutes later when Connor Malley slipped John Martin in on goal after a neat exchange with Benson but the former Waterford player couldn’t keep his effort down.
That was to prove pivotal as Benson was dismissed on 31 minutes for a high challenge on Grace in front of the Rovers bench.
The Hoops then responded by doubling their advantage on 36 minutes with Grace nodding home after Jack Byrne’s corner was kept alive by Sean Hoare.
Rovers had further chances to add to their lead before the intervak with Gaffney firing just wide on the break with Shepperd well out of his goal.
Richie Towell also side-footed just wide from Neil Farrugia’s pass before Gaffney fired another shot just wide on the stroke of half-time.
To their credit, the home side rallied at the start of the second half but it was Rovers who always looked dangerous on the break with Gaffney having a header blocked by Andy Boyle before Towell saw an effort squirm just wide on 63 minutes as Shepperd struggled to save his 25 yard strike in the slippery conditions.
Kenny was then denied by Shepperd from an acute angle before adding the third goal on 71 minutes with a close range header from Towell’s cross.
Substitute Burke then scored with his second touch after replacing Gaffney with a close range finish from Kavanagh’s cross to make it 4-0 on 76 minutes.
Dundalk did go close to a leveller two minutes from time when substitute Keith Ward’s effort was pushed away by Mannus, who also managed to save Greg Sloggett’s follow up from Daniel Kelly’s cross.
Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Wasiri Williams, Andy Boyle, Darragh Leahy (Robbie McCourt 79); Greg Sloggett, Alfie Lewis (Johannes Yli-Kokko 68); Robbie Benson, Connor Malley (Keith Ward 75), Rayhann Tulloch (Ryan O’Kane 67); John Martin (Daniel Kelly 75).
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Hoare, Daniel Cleary, Lee Grace; Neil Farrugia (Darragh Nugent 74), Gary O’Neill, Richie Towell, Sean Kavanagh (Dylan Watts 79); Jack Byrne (Markus Poom 59), Johnny Kenny (Aaron Greene 74), Rory Gaffney (Graham Burke 74).
Referee: Arnold Hunter.
