Rovers up and running after Dundalk drubbing 

KICKING IT OFF: Rory Gaffney of Shamrock Rovers celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Dundalk 0 Shamrock Rovers 4 

Shamrock Rovers got their season up and running in style by putting 10 man Dundalk to the sword at Oriel Park.

The reigning league champions came into the game without a win in their opening six matches - five draws and one defeat - but were already a goal ahead through Rory Gaffney when the home side were reduced to 10 men on 31 minutes with Robbie Benson given the first red card of his professional career by referee Arnold Hunter.

Rovers then doubled their lead through Lee Grace before Johnny Kenny and Graham Burke put the game to bed midway through the second half to ensure a first three points of the campaign for Stephen Bradley’s side ahead of their Dublin derby tie away to Bohemians next Friday.

The Hoops hit the front on 22 minutes with former Lilywhite Daniel Cleary floating a superb cross to the back post over the head of Archie Davies for Gaffney to race onto and head across Nathan Shepperd to the bottom right hand corner.

Dundalk did have a golden chance to level six minutes later when Connor Malley slipped John Martin in on goal after a neat exchange with Benson but the former Waterford player couldn’t keep his effort down.

They key moment of the game came on 31 minutes when Benson was dismissed for a high challenge on Grace in front of the Rovers bench.

The Hoops responded by doubling their advantage five minutes later with Grace nodding home after Jack Byrne’s corner was kept alive by Sean Hoare.

Rovers had further chances to add to their lead before the interval with Gaffney going closest when he fired just wide on the break with Shepperd racing out of his box to close him down.

To their credit, the home side rallied at the start of the second half without ever really threatening but moments after being denied by Shepperd from an acute angle Kenny added the crucial third goal to kill the game on 71 minutes with a close range header from Towell’s cross.

Substitute Burke then added a fourth five minutes later with a close range finish from Kavanagh’s cross to complete the win.

Dundalk: Shepperd; Davies, Williams, Boyle, Leahy (McCourt 79); Sloggett, Lewis (Yli-Kokko 68); Benson, Malley (Ward 75), Tulloch (O’Kane 67); Martin (Kelly 75).

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Hoare, Cleary, Grace; Farrugia (Nugent 74), O’Neill, Towell, Kavanagh (Watts 79); Byrne (Poom 59), Kenny (Greene 74), Gaffney (Graham Burke 74).

Referee: Arnold Hunter.