Dundalk 8 Limerick 0
An avalanche of goals set Dundalk on their way to an easy win in the snow against Limerick at Oriel Park on Tuesday evening.
After successive nil-all draws in their opening two matches, Stephen Kenny’s side went into the game badly in need of three points that would keep them in touch with early pacesetters Cork City and the result was all but put to bed after just 10 minutes.
Ronan Murray set up the opener in the seventh minute. Located by Robbie Benson on the inside-left, he fired the orange ball across the six-yard box and Hoban was there to tap home Dundalk's first goal of the season.
The snow abated somewhat but the goals continued to arrive with Benson bagging number two in the 10th minute, a cracker from the 18-yard line that curled inside Brendan Clarke’s right-hand post.
Limerick looked a pale imitation of the side that picked up four points from their opening two games. Their only moment of note came in the 41st minute when William Fitzgerald went down under pressure from ex-Blues centre-back Stephen Folan but referee Paul Tuuite wasn't interested.
By that stage it was 3-0 with Hoban warming the home supporters with a cracking solo effort in the 25th minute that saw him pick the ball up wide right before cutting inside, leaving Shane Tracy in a spin, and dispatching brilliantly into the bottom corner.
And the cap was put on a wretched opening 45 minutes for Tommy Barrett’s side when Folan rose to glance home a Duffy corner and claim his first competitive goal for the Lilywhites.
The second-half continued in the same vein with Lithuanian substitute Karolis Chvedukas getting in on the act with a cool finish from the edge of the penalty area in the 64th minute.
Duffy slotted home number six shortly after and Dylan Connolly hit the magnificent seventh with 11 minutes remaining when he pounced on a heavy touch by Tony Whitehead to outstrip the Limerick back four and fire home.
And there was still time for number eight, Duffy tapping home in stoppage time to condemn the Shannonsiders to a record equalling heaviest club defeat.
DUNDALK: Rogers; Gannon, Cleary, Folan, Massey; Shields (Chvedukas 60), Benson (Adorjan 75); Connolly, Murray, Duffy; Hoban (Tagbajumi 67).
LIMERICK: Clarke; Kelly, D Dennehy, Cantwell, Tracy; Fitzgerald, Duggan, Wearen (Whitehead 61), Walsh-O'Loghlen, B Dennehy; Ellis (O'Sullivan 61).
