SHAMROCK ROVERS FINALLY found their golden touch as they blitzed Bray Wanderers 7-0 in tonight’s Premier Division clash.
At Oriel Park, Derry City narrowed the gap on champions Sligo Rovers as they came from behind to beat Dundalk 3-1, while St Patrick’s Athletic made it back-to-back wins with a 1-0 victory away to UCD.
Shelbourne’s struggles continued as they went down 3-1 at home to Drogheda United.
But with Sligo not in action until tomorrow afternoon, the headlines belonged to Shamrock Rovers. Before tonight, Trevor Croly’s side had only found the net six times in seven league games, a run which included six draws and just a single win.
New recruit Danny Ledwith opened the scoring in the sixth minute and goals from Ciaran Kilduff and Ronan Finn had the Hoops 3-0 up at the interval.
Mark Quigley made it four not long after the hour mark and James Chambers added a rapid-fire brace before Finn completed the rout with his second of the evening from the penalty spot in the game’s dying minutes.
Second-placed Derry City benefitted from a penalty decision in either half as they moved to within two points of Sligo at the top of the table. After falling behind to a Vinny Faherty goal in the 18th minute, Rory Patterson levelled from the spot before Barry McNamee put the Candystripes 2-1 up in the 56th minute.
Patterson scored his second of the night and Derry’s third in the 67th minute after referee Neil Doyle pointed to the spot again for a handball.
Anto Flood scored the game’s only goal as St Pat’s condemned UCD to their seventh defeat of the season in the Belfield Bowl. Flood was on hand in first-half stoppage time to score, giving Pat’s all three points ahead of their rescheduled Dublin derby against Shelbourne on Monday night.
The result leaves the Students rooted to the bottom of the table but only by virtue of goal difference after Drogheda ensured that Shels continued their winless start to the season in Drumcondra.
Brian Shorthall gave the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time and though Shels stayed in front until well into the final quarter, Mick Cooke’s men eventually made their pressure pay. Fabio O’Brien bagged the equaliser in the 73rd minute before Gary O’Neill edged Drogheda in front five minutes from the end. O’Brien made sure of the points with a penalty in stoppage time.
In the First Division Longford extended their lead at the top with a 1-0 win away to Wexford Youths, Athlone beat Finn Harps 1-0 and Waterford United were 2-1 winners against Salthill Devon.
Premier Division
- Shamrock Rovers 7-0 Bray Wanderers
- Shelbourne 1-3 Drogheda United
- Dundalk 1-3 Derry City
- UCD 0-1 St Patrick’s Athletic
First Division
- Wexford Youths 0-1 Longford Town
- Salthill Devon 1-2 Waterford United
- Athlone Town 1-0 Finn Harps
