Hoops see off Dundalk to take control of title race  

Stephen Bradley's side put their European disappointment behind them. 

HOME COMFORTS: Jack Byrne of Shamrock Rovers has a shot on goal despite the attention of of Dundalk players John Mountney, Keith Ward and Lewis Macari. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Shamrock Rovers 3 

Dundalk 0 

Shamrock Rovers put their Europa League humbling in Budapest last Thursday fully behind them to greatly boost their domestic title-retention aspirations in seeing off the challenge of Dundalk in clinical counter-attacking fashion at Tallaght Stadium.

Winning the top-of-the-table clash moves Stephen Bradley’s side seven points clear at the summit, with a game in hand, and well on course for three-in-a-row titles in extending their record total to 20.

Showing little sign of travel fatigue, Rovers should have been ahead as early as 40 seconds, skipper Ronan Finn skying over the top after Lee Grace’s superb diagonal ball caught Dundalk square at the back.

And though Dundalk enjoyed a period in which they penned Rovers deep in their own half, they were badly undone on the counter on 13 minutes.

Dan Cleary played a long ball down the left for the run of Rory Gaffney who all too easily skipped past Robbie McCourt, drew goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd off his line and laid it on a plate for Aaron Greene to finish.

Gaffney then twice worked Shepperd before Rovers doubled their lead on 34 minutes Dundalk thought they had equalised when John Martin raced past Cleary to shoot beyond Alan Mannus only to be pulled back for a foul on the Rovers defender.

Cleary sent a quick free kick over the top for the run of Greene who whipped a low cross to the far post for ex-Dundalk midfielder Towell to rifle home.

Dundalk finished the half on the front foot with Rovers defending doggedly; Mannus saving twice while hooped shirts put their bodies on the line to thwart a sustained onslaught.

Dundalk thought they were back in the game on 64 minutes but for the brilliance of Mannus.

Substitute Keith Ward’s free kick looked destined for the top corner only for veteran ex-Northern Ireland keeper to somehow touch it away.

Three minutes later Dundalk were undone yet again from a blistering counter.

Greene used his pace to race away on the left to square the ball for Gaffney to drill his shot to the corner of the net, just reward for another hard-running display.

An inspired Mannus then had the last say with a string of terrific saves in tipping Robbie Benson’s drive round a post before thwarting Ward again and then David McMillan at the death.

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Hoare, Cleary (Ferizaj, 79), Grace; O’Neill, Towell; Finn (Farrugia, 59), Watts (Kavanagh, 68), Lyons; Greene (Byrne, 68), Gaffney (Emakhu, 69).

Dundalk: Shepperd; Macari, Bone, McCourt (Ward, 26), Leahy (Mountney, 73); Lewis, Sloggett (Adams, 64); Benson, Bradley, O’Kane (Hauge, h-t); Martin (McMillan, 64).

Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).

Attendance: 5,525