Far below their usual high standards in last Friday's home draw with Galway United, Drogheda United felt the backlash from Shamrock Rovers who rediscovered their spark to record their biggest win of the season at Tallaght Stadium.
Goals late in the first half from Johnny Kenny and Aaron Greene finally gave substance to Rovers' supremacy.
The impressive Darragh Burns and defender Josh Honohan added two more after the interval as the champions moved back second in the table, two points behind Shelbourne.
With three changes from that tame showing three days ago, Rovers were noticeably more energetic and far sharper in their passing and showed intent from the start here, pinning Drogheda in their own half from the off.
Greene hit a post with Kenny shooting the rebound wide inside five minutes before Drogheda goalkeeper Jethren Barr made the first big save of the night, diving bravely at the feet of Kenny.
Barr was there again with a terrific save, denying Burns with his legs following a one-two with substitute Conan Noonan.
The overworked Drogheda defence was finally undone, not once, but twice, right at the end of the first half.
Kenny, as he did in salvaging a point on Friday, met Dylan Watts' fifth corner of the night to outmuscle Luke Heeney and power a header to the net right on 45 minutes.
🎥 | The Johnny Kenny header that gave Shamrock Rovers the lead
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) April 29, 2024
Aaron Greene has since doubled their advantage!
HT | SHA 2-0 DRO #LOITV | #SHADRO pic.twitter.com/j6udVQXWew
Scarcely 90 seconds later, a loose pass from Drogheda midfielder Oisin Gallagher gifted the ball to Burns.
The winger’s delightful pass found the run of Greene, who took a controlling touch before confidently sliding home his seventh goal of the season.
Greene was involved as Rovers all but sealed the points eight minutes into the second half.
The veteran striker fed Kenny to help the ball on to Burns, who skipped past Conor Kane all too easily to then rifle a rising shot off his weaker right foot to the roof of the net.
Barr kept the score down with another superb save to push away a Honohan header on the hour while, minutes later, Kenny bounced a header off the beleaguered Drogheda crossbar.
A harsh straight red card was shown to Drogheda defender Jack Keaney on 71 minutes, even though replays appeared to show no contact with Kenny as the striker went to ground in a run on goal.
Defender Honohan then added Rovers' fourth three minutes later when heading home a Noonan corner.
Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Dan Cleary (John O'Sullivan 75), Roberto Lopes, Josh Honohan; Dylan Watts (Cory O’Sullivan 68), Richie Towell (Conan Noonan 32); Darragh Burns (Maxim Kovalevskis 68), Darragh Nugent, Trevor Clarke (Cian Barrett 68); Johnny Kenny, Aaron Greene.
Drogheda United: Jethren Barr; Luke Heeney (Dave Webster 68), Jack Keaney, Hayden Cann, Conor Kane; Gary Deegan, Oisin Gallagher (Killian Cailloce 60); Alan McNally (Adam Feely 54), Darragh Markey, Warren Davis (Steve Bawa 54); Frantz Pierrot (Ryan Brennan 60).
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).
Attendance: 3,847.
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