Dundalk 0-4 Shamrock Rovers
Shamrock Rovers made hard work of their opening six games, but were in seventh heaven here after dismantling Dundalk.
The champions were on a seek and destroy mission as they chased a belated first win of the season - and a first win here since 2020.
Rory Gaffney, Lee Grace, Johnny Kenny and Graham Burke lacerated the Lilywhites with the goals that mattered - but the rampant Hoops could have scored so many more.
They were helped by the fact that Dundalk played with 10-men for an hour after Robbie Benson received a costly red for a high tackle on Grace during the first-half.
But they were already 1-0 down and in a spin before that, and the numerical disadvantage only accelerated their unravelling.
Stephen Bradley may have been frustrated by Rovers start to the season, but he wasn’t unduly concerned as he felt it was only a matter of time before they hit their stride.
Clearly, the international break came at the right time as it allowed the four-in-a-row chasing Hoops to hit the reset button, take stock and respond with force.
Kenny was outstanding in attack and ably supported by Gaffney and the marauding Neil Farrugia out wide. The trio were Dundalk’s tormentors in chief.
Stephen O’Donnell’s men were shell shocked by events and a large number of fans streamed out of Oriel Park by the time Burke scored off the bench with 15 to go.
But the writing had been on the wall for them from an early stage as they struggled to come up for air under a relentless barrage of attacks.
Rovers were determined to right the wrongs of their sluggish start to the season and were intent on inflicting pain.
Kenny and Gaffney were such a handful up front and they pulled the Lilywhites rearguard from pillar to post with their pace, power and speed of thought.
Kenny - who scored on his Ireland U21s debut last Sunday - set the tone with an early chance that clipped Nathan Shepperd’s post.
But the Hoops took the lead midway through that opening half with Gaffney leaving defender Archie Davies reeling.
Gary O’Neill pounced on a stray pass in midfield and set the wheels in motion for a move that saw Kenny, Gaffney and Farrugia centrally involved.
On the edge of the box, Farrugua laid off Gaffney’s cross to Dan Cleary who put the ball back in the mixer for Gaffney to head home after shaking off Davies all too easily.
Dundalk didn’t know it then but their night was about to get a hell of a lot worse, but not before John Martin wasted a glorious chance by firing over.
Groans of frustration went around Oriel and it would become the soundtrack of their night as they imploded in the space of six minutes.
First, Benson - with 12 career goals against Rovers in 34 games - was shown a straight red for a high challenge on Grace.
And then Grace headed home a second goal eight minutes from the break after a bout of head tennis from a Jack Byrne corner.
Rovers smelled blood and Towell, Gaffney, Farrugia and Kenny could all have stretched the lead before Martin saw penalty appeals dismissed after Grace bundled him over.
Kenny was a menace and had he been more selfish instead of squaring to Gaffney, he would have opened his account earlier.
But he got his reward with 19 minutes to go, peeling off Wasiri Williams to head home Towell’s cross at close range.
Rovers were not finished there as Burke steered home Sean Kavanagh’s low cross at the near post after a flowing move in which he was centrally involved.
Dundalk only registered their first shot on target in the 88th minute when Keith Ward brought the best out of Alan Mannus - but they were beaten dockets long before that.
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