Shamrock Rovers took a giant leap towards their fourth successive SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division title as they steamrolled over a beleaguered Drogheda United in emphatic fashion.
It was take two in Tallaght after Friday's postponement but for Shamrock Rovers it was worth the wait as they feasted among the goals. Drogheda fans will perhaps feel like the real winners having been banned from attending this 5-0 hammering.
Trevor Clarke broke a tame Drogheda resistance after just six minutes before Richie Towell and Johnny Kenny put the Hoops out of sight at half time.
The returning Neil Farrugia was a cut above the rest and he and Markus Poom struck shortly after the break while Rory Gaffney helped himself to a hat trick of assists on the night.
With Drogheda arriving without several key players and their raucous supporters who were banned, this was set up for the hosts to take a big step towards emulating the four-in-a-row side of the 1980s and they filled their boots ahead of Friday’s title showdown with St Patrick’s Athletic.
Stephen Bradley was able to recall wing backs Farrugia and Clarke who destroyed Drogheda all night. The pair combined to give the Hoops the lead when Farrugia’s cross found the feet of Clarke – via the head of Gaffney – and he finished brilliantly across Andrew Wogan for his fifth goal of the season.
Rovers had struggled to break down the Boynesiders this season but were carving through them at every opportunity and doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Dan Cleary crossed unchallenged for Gaffney who cleverly cushioned the ball for Towell to tap home.
Towell looked as hungry as ever and on another night, he would have had a 20-minute hat trick after seeing a shot go narrowly wide before a neat finish was ruled out for offside.
The game was in danger of becoming a rout when Kenny met a Farrugia cross with a neat touch and emphatic finish into the top corner for his first goal since April before the half hour mark.
A rare Drogheda attack before the interval should have seen Luke Wade Slater find the net before a combination of the post and a point-blank Andrew Wogan save denied Rovers a fourth.
Kevin Doherty made a triple change at half time to try and stop the bleeding, but Rovers kept wielding the dagger.
Farrugia rifled home his fourth of the season before Gaffney produced some Berbatov-esque footwork on the end line to cross for Poom who headed home a fifth in the 52nd minute.
This end of season clash took the form of a pre-season friendly for the remainder as cries of 'we’re going to win the league’ rang around Dublin 24.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus, Dan Cleary (Hoare 61), Pico Lopes, Lee Grace, Neil Farrugia, Gary O’Neill (Nugent 46), Markus Poom (Burt 61), Trevor Clarke, Richie Towell (Razi 46), Johnny Kenny, Rory Gaffney (Power 61)
Drogheda United: Andrew Wogan, Luke Heeney (Topcu 57), Jamie Egan (Noone 46), Evan Weir, Conor Kane, Gary Deegan, Matthew O’Brien, Adam Foley, Luke Wade Slater (McNally 46), Warren Davis (Warren 86), Kyle Robinson (Jones)
