In a repeat of the scoreline from when the sides last met in Dublin back in April, Shamrock Rovers swept aside bottom club Cork City to extend their lead at the summit to an ominous 11 points as 4,355 watched on at a balmy Tallaght Stadium.
Michael Noonan's double either side of a powerful Roberto Lopes header had the hosts cruising at the interval. Rory Gaffney quelled any doubts after the break despite an Alex Nolan consolation.
Despite an early Djenairo Daniels strike that flew over, it took the rampant Rovers just six minutes to find the breakthrough.
Michael Noonan - who picked up the club's player of the month award for May prior to kick off - showed great movement in the channel to race onto Danny Mandroiu’s perfectly weighted pass. The teen sensation cleverly cut inside not one, but two challenges before slotting low under Tein Troost.
Midway through the first half, the Leesiders were furious when what they claimed was a soft free kick against Cathal O’Sullivan on Trevor Clarke, eventually led to the home side doubling their lead.
From the left, midfielder Dylan Watts whipped in a devilish inswinger that found the head of skipper Pico Lopes who smashed his header home.
And just a couple of minutes later, the ruthless hosts made it three with yet another quality and clinical move.
Clarke, free on the left side, turned and played a wonderfully weighted ball around the City defence for Noonan to race onto. Again, the 16-year-old made no mistake flicking the ball past the onrushing keeper to make it five in his last six games.
There was no let up from the hosts, who were afforded the luxury of leaving Matt Healy, Lee Grace and Darragh Nugent out of the squad altogether, as Rory Gaffney added his name to the scoresheet four minutes after the restart.
The enigmatic Danny Mandroiu was afforded too much time and space as he played a sweeping through ball to the front man, Gaffney, who made no mistake, slotting the ball low in front of the South Stand.
With the three points staying in Tallaght, both sides unloaded their benches with a view to Monday night's round of fixtures, and with just over 20-minutes remaining, it was one of the Rebel Army’s new introductions that made an instant impact.
The former Shelbourne, UCD and St Pat’s winger, Alex Nolan, gave the travelling support a reason to cheer, when he timed his run to perfection to get on the end of former Hoops midfielder Greg Bolger’s ball over the top and, after taking a fine first touch, helped the ball past Ed McGinty and just over the line, despite the recovering Josh Honohan’s best efforts to clear.
Seventeen-year-old Max Kovalevskis looked impressive down the right hand side and was desperately unlucky not to cap his impressive cameo with a goal of his own, showing great pace to burst down the wing and into the area but ran out of angle and saw his low shot just evade the far post as it finished 4-1 as all eye’s now turn to Monday for both sides.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Cory O’Sullivan, Roberto Lopes (Josh Honohan, 46’), Dan Cleary; Danny Grant (Aaron McEneff, 73’), John O’Sullivan, Dylan Watts (Gary O’Neill, 53’), Danny Mandroiu (Cian Barrett, 53’), Trevor Clarke (Maxim Kovalevskis, 46’); Rory Gaffney, Michael Noonan
Subs not used: Leon Pohls, Aaron Greene, Graham Burke, Jack Byrne
Cork City: Tein Troost; Milan Mbeng (Harry Nevin, 61’), Freddie Anderson, Darragh Crowley, Evan McLaughlin; Cathal O’Sullivan (Alex Nolan, 65’), Greg Bolger, Josh Fitzpatrick, Kitt Nelson (Charlie Lyons, 46’), Malik Dijksteel (Sean Murray, 46’); Djenairo Daniels (Sean Maguire, 61’)
Subs not used: Conor Brann, Rory Moloney, Arran Healy, David Dunne
Referee: Aaron O’Dowd (Dublin)
