Dundalk 4 Limerick 0
Dundalk moved back to the top of the SSE Airtricrity League table as Patrick Hoban took his tally to 18 goals in just 20 starts with a brilliant hat-trick.
The victory was Dundalk’s seventh on the bounce and enough to lift Stephen Kenny’s side two points clear of Cork City with a game more played.
After a week when Limerick’s finances were put under the microscope off the pitch, Blues manager Tommy Barrett would have been praying for a change in fortune on it but his plans were disrupted early on by the loss of Conor Clifford to injury.
Dundalk started to take charge after that with Krisztian Adorjan heading a fine Dylan Connolly cross at Brendan Clarke in the 18th minute before Michael Duffy pulled an effort wide of the post with just the goalkeeper to beat.
Limerick lost another player to injury when Barry Maguire limped off with a hamstring injury just shy of the half hour and they were let off the hook minutes later when Duffy rattled the post after a surging run from Robbie Benson.
The pressure was incessant at this stage and Hoban was denied what would have been a stunning opener when he controlled the ball and let fly in one movement but Clarke made an equally good stop.
The home supporters were almost silenced when Mark O’Sullivan guided a header towards the top corner of Gary Rogers’ goal but Robbie Benson was on hand to clear the ball off the line.
And they were on their feet seconds later as play switched to the other end and when Limerick failed to clear a corner, Hoban was there to power home goal number 16 of the season from 20 yards.
With Duffy becoming more influential, Dundalk went in search of a second after the break with Dan Cleary heading wide and Duffy firing over after a brilliant bit of wing play by Connolly.
Goal number two eventually came in the 66th minute later when Hoban slotted home from the penalty spot after the impressive Connolly was fouled by Shane Duggan.
Kenny’s side hit top gear after that with Adorjan finding the top corner three minutes later after a beautiful dummy by Benson and Hoban put the cap on another tremendous display by claiming the match ball late on from a Connolly cross.
DUNDALK: Rogers; Hoare, Gartland, Cleary, Massey; Benson (Poynton 85), Chvedukas (Gannon 52); Connolly, Adorjan, Duffy (Murray 76); Hoban.
LIMERICK: Clarke; Whitehead, Wearen, Brouder; Cantwell, Coleman, Maguire (Kearns 28), Clifford (Tracy 13), Duggan; Fitzgerald (McGowan 85), O'Sullivan.
Referee: Neil Doyle.
Attendance: 2,276.
