Shamrock Rovers 3

Sligo Rovers 0

Paul Buttner reports from Tallaght Stadium

GRAHAM BURKE capped his 200th appearance for Shamrock Rovers with a brilliant first-half goal.

But it was an assist and a brace from veteran Aaron Greene that stole the show at Tallaght Stadium as Hoops recorded their biggest win of the season.

A fourth win in five games moves Stephen Bradley’s champions up to third in the table, their highest place of the campaign to date, and with a game in hand.

The night marked the 37th anniversary of Rovers’ last game at their old home of Glenmalure Park, Milltown, an FAI Cup semi-final with Sligo Rovers, who were also their first opponents at Tallaght Stadium 15 years ago.

Though they started on the front foot, it was Hoops’ goalkeeper Leon Pohls who had the first real save of the night to make on seven minutes.

A slip by skipper Roberto Lopes gifted the ball to Will Fitzgerald. He fed Reece Hutchinson whose curling shot Pohls got across well to grasp.

Rovers soon responded on the double through Burke.

First, the attacking midfielder saw a looping header comfortably caught by Ed McGinty before his well-struck free kick was deflected out for a corner.

McGinty then had to make his first telling stop of the game, springing to his right to bat away a thumping drive from Markus Poom.

In a swift counterattack six minutes later, Sligo were inches from falling behind.

Darragh Burns, Poom, Burke and Dylan Watts were involved before Greene pulled the ball back for Burke whose close-range effort was cleared off the line by John Ross Wilson.

Poom had a header from Burns’ cross blocked out for a corner before McGinty had to claw Gary O’Neill’s header out of the top corner.

Sligo were creaking and the pressure finally told on 36 minutes with a cracking goal.

Dan Cleary’s ball forward was neatly laid off by Greene for Burke who took a touch before rifling a stunning left-foot drive to the top corner for a terrific first goal of the season.

And Burke was involved as Rovers doubled their lead five minutes into the second half.

Darragh Nugent was fouled as he collected Burke’s pass but referee Kevin O’Sullivan played an advantage.

Greene latched onto the loose ball to score despite a deflection off Sligo skipper Niall Morahan.

And the 34-year-old showed he has lost none of his pace on 63 minutes, galloping onto Poom’s ball over the top to race clear of Charlie Wiggett before lashing to the net off his left foot.

Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Cleary, Lopes, Honohan (Barrett, 79); Watts (Noonan, 70), O’Neill (Clarke, 67); Burns, Burke (Towell, 67), Nugent (Kenny, 67), Poom; Greene.

Sligo Rovers: McGinty; Wilson, Denham, Wiggett, Hutchinson; Morahan, Malley; Hartmann (Elding, 75), Chapman (Barlow, 75), Fitzgerald (Smit, 75); Mata (Waweru, 75).

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork).

Attendance: 6,059