Premiership: Irish stars help Sunderland to win at Blackburn

Blackburn 0, Sunderland 3

Niall Quinn’s first half double broke Sunderland’s run of four consecutive away defeats at Ewood Park.

Quinn swept home his opener on 17 minutes from Bernt Haas’ right wing cross and headed his second on the half-hour from Julio Arca’s free-kick.

Rovers threatened little in the second half and had Craig Short sent off after he clashed with Quinn’s replacement Kevin Kyle.

Kevin Kilbane completed the rout by knocking home Kevin Phillips’ cross one minute from time.

Rovers brought off full-back Lucas Neill in the 70th minute, replacing him with Martin Taylor as they continued to pepper the Sunderland penalty area with the ball.

But their momentum ended after a stormy five minute spell coinciding with Peter Reid’s substitution of Quinn for Kevin Kyle in the 70th minute.

Within seconds of joining the action Kyle went into a challenge with Craig Short and the Rovers defender was red-carded by referee Colin Wilkes, apparently for raising an arm.

Two minutes later with tempers fraying Kyle incensed the home fans further when he escaped with a booking for a lunging challenge on Dunn.

From then on Rovers, seemingly resigned to their fate, threatened little, with substitute Martin Taylor firing well wide with two minutes to go.

Their misery was complete a minute from time when Kevin Kilbane scored Sunderland’s third goal, after Phillips crossed from the right.