Bohemians 5 Longford Town 0:Initially it was difficult to decipher whether Bohemians' early work was cautious but measured or lacking structure. But by the time Glen Crowe opened his hat-trick account on 22 minutes it was clear the home side were playing with real purpose.
Once in front, they revelled in repeatedly filleting a Longford defence that badly misfired throughout.
The back four were left red-faced by Conor Powell's threaded ball in the lead up to the opener. Crowe, demonstrating pace and power, sliced through and confidently beat the onrushing Michael Dempsey.
Sensing their opponents' unease the hosts regrouped immediately, busily scheming a way to kill the game. Darren Mansaram came close a minute after the goal but his clever chip over the goalkeeper was bundled off the line by Seán Prunty.
David Freeman's fierce drive was Longford's best opportunity of the half but Brian Murphy was smartly down to parry.
Clever retention and subsequent distribution in midfield served Bohemians well. Kevin Hunt was orchestrator-in-chief while Powell's incisive passing from the left benefited those inside. The right flank was not as profitable but gifted Owen Heary space at their peril. Perplexed defenders stood off the full back for an eternity and Crowe headed his cross high into the net four minutes from the interval.
Heary repeated the trick seven minutes after the restart. His cross was woefully misjudged, allowing John Paul Kelly to head home unmarked. Had it not been the midfielder any number of lurking team-mates would have obliged.
Crowe then secured his hat-trick just after the hour. Kelly hooked Stephen Rice's deep cross off the endline for the striker to tap home a yard out.
Rice himself coolly added a fifth two minutes from time.
The visitors trudged off the pitch utterly dejected. Seán Connor's men will never have it so easy.
BOHEMIANS:Murphy; Heary, McGuinness, Burns, Powell; Kelly, Hunt, Rice, Kingsberry (Byrne 73); Crowe (Fenn 65), Mansaram (Mooney 85).
LONGFORD TOWN:Dempsey; Brennan, Doherty (Wexler half-time), Prunty, Rutherford; J Martin, Doyle (Lee 84), Deegan, R Martin (Baker 68); Mooney, Freeman.
Referee: A Kelly(Cork).
