Drogheda Utd 3 Shamrock Rovers 0: Drogheda United assumed outright leadership of the Eircom League Premier Division with an emphatic victory over Shamrock Rovers last night.

The win was primarily secured on the back of a blistering second-half performance when Declan O'Brien struck twice and Gary Cronin sealed the win 10 minutes from time. The home side could even afford the luxury of a penalty miss in the first half before going on to secure the victory.

With just three minutes gone Rovers should have scored when Trevor Molloy profited from a slip by defender Danny O'Connor. Molloy raced to the end line and crossed for Shane Robinson who, incredibly, shot wide from six yards.

Drogheda then created a number of chances when, firstly, Barry Molloy's shot cannoned off Terry Palmer as it careered goalwards. Then a John Lester free clipped the Rovers bar before Jermaine Sandvliet crossed from the left for Tony Bird to power his header past the post.

The play swung to the other end as Molloy's shot was turned on to the post by United goalkeeper Gary Rogers. Shane Robinson touched a free to Stephen Gough who drove his shot around the wall. However, Rogers got down well to turn the ball to safety.

Drogheda had a penalty with 17 minutes on the watch when Jason McGuinness tripped Bird in the area. Lester stepped up in an attempt to convert his fourth penalty at the venue in recent weeks. However, his tamely-struck spot kick was easily saved by Hoops goalkeeper Noel Mooney.

Drogheda finished the half the strongest, however, and with eight minutes to go to the break Bird, making his first full appearance, was unlucky not to score with a spectacular bicycle kick, which was brilliantly tipped away by Mooney.

Right on the half-time whistle John Flanagan raced down the right and crossed for Gavin Whelan, who mis-kicked and Barry Molloy could only stab the rolling ball wide from close range.

Drogheda began the second half in determined fashion and three minutes in should have scored when Molloy hit his shot straight at Mooney from 12 yards.

The home side, however, got their reward with 58 minutes gone. Lester picked the ball up in his own half, fed Bird, who in turn found Barry Molloy.

He pushed a lovely ball through the heart of the Rovers defence for Declan O'Brien to skip past his dumbfounded marker and rifle the ball to the top right corner of the goal.

Drogheda almost made it two three minutes later when Barry Molloy's goal-bound effort was charged down by Palmer.

The Boynesiders continued to press relentlessly for a second and with 72 minutes gone Gavin Whelan crossed from the right for Gary Cronin, who saw his header cleared from the goal line by Rovers' Keith Doyle.

Almost immediately at the other end, Rovers created a rare opportunity when goalkeeper Rogers palmed the ball down straight to Stephen Grant, who scooped the ball over the bar from six yards.

The second United goal arrived with 13 minutes remaining when O'Brien cracked home a fine strike from fully 35 yards out and four minutes later the points were safe when O'Brien, working hard down the right, found Cronin who beat Mooney with ease from 12 yards.

It could have been four goals six minutes from time when Barry Molloy's shot cannoned back off the Rovers upright.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Rogers, Flanagan, Sandvliet, O'Connor, Gray, Lester, Whelan (Freeman 83 mins), Molloy, O'Brien, Bird (Myler 76 mins), Cronin (Reilly 87mins).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mooney, Croly, Doyle (Deans 78 mins), McGuinness (O'Halloran 81 mins), Palmer, Gough, Robinson, Rutherford, Molloy, O'Brien (McArdle 78 mins), Grant.

Referee: P Whelan (Dublin).