Shamrock Rovers made it back-to-back wins for the first time this season as a raucous and record-breaking 10,094 people packed into Tallaght Stadium for the first major Dublin Derby of the year.
Second-half strikes from Johnny Kenny, Darragh Burns and Aaron Greene made up for a quiet opening 45, as the Hoops neutralised Bohemians and the plans of newly appointed manager Alan Reynolds.
With only two days of training since being appointed, the former Shamrock Rovers player should be immune from blame tonight.
His side enjoyed a solid opening 45 before a near-total disintegration in the second half. Substitute Declan McDaid restored some respect to the scoreline with a 93rd minute consolation.
Rovers against Bohs has always been an outlier. The biggest game in the country, the hardest to get a ticket for, the one broadcasters want to show. It's the game even the most casual Irish football fans watch out for. This has been the case for as long as most League of Ireland fans can remember.
However, tonight was different again. This was a glimpse into the future of what every League of Ireland experience should be.
It was a record crowd for a 'modern era' League of Ireland game. The largest crowd at a league match this century.
Four sold-out stands lining each side of a perfect pitch. LED advertising screens flashed around the margins of play, state-of-the-art sound systems built the atmosphere. There were varied options for food and refreshments. Even the toilets are worthy of mention – a far cry from the portaloos and shacks seen in many other grounds across the country.
There is a long way to go before this becomes the norm in Irish football.
However, this is yet another sign that football in this country – with the right supports – is ready to catch up with its European counterparts.
On the pitch, it took just 50 seconds for Jordan Flores to flash a respectable effort wide.
That was not, however, a sign of things to come as both sides cancelled each other out across the first half.
The Hoops played a more direct style than Bohemians may have expected, routinely launching balls for Burns and Graham Burke to chase.
That avenue nearly paid off when Daniel Cleary’s long hit released Burns. However, Kacper Chorzaka was well-positioned to stop the shot.
If the Hoops struggled early on, they thrived in the second half.
It took just four minutes for the first goal to arrive. A defensive header fell to Gary O’Neill on the edge of the box before the midfielder’s dragged shot rolled into the path of Kenny, who coolly converted.
Kenny was central again when the Hoops doubled their lead minutes later.
The 20-year-old Celtic-loanee dribbled into the box, laying off to Burke, who found Burns in the six-yard box. The former MK Dons man had no hesitation slotting the ball past Chorazka.
All of a sudden the floodgates looked like opening.
Burke went close before Kenny threatened again. Nugent dragged one wide with 20 minutes to go before setting up Greene to outmuscle Aboubacar Keita and wrap up the scoring.
Substitute Richie Towell should have got a fourth with five minutes to go, however, Chorazka stuck out a strong leg to prevent any further mass celebrations that side of the full-time whistle.
Bohemian FC: Kacper Chorazka; Michael Lilander, Aboubacar Keita, Jevon Mills, Paddy Kirk; Adam McDonnell (Brian McManus, 64), Jordan Flores; Dylan Connolly (Danny Grant, 64), James Clarke, Dayle Rooney; James Akintunde (Declan McDaid, 70).
Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Lee Grace, Roberto Lopes, Dan Cleary; Darragh Burns (Trevor Clarke, 81), Josh Honohan; Dylan Watts (Richie Towell, 70), Gary O’Neill (Markus Poom, 58), Darragh Nugent; Graham Burke (Conan Noonan, 81), Johnny Kenny (Aaron Greene, 71).
Referee: Rob Harvey.
