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A big night took place in the League of Ireland.

Shamrock Rovers have extended their lead at the top of the Premier Division, after they sealed an impressive 2-1 Dublin Derby win against St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park.

The Hoops came into the game with a mounting injury list, but they overcame those concerns with aplomb to see off the Saints.

In the First Division, Cork City strolled home against Treaty United at the Market’s Field as they won 5-0 on the road.

With their win, they were able to stretch their lead at the top of the table to four points, following Galway United’s costly 2-0 loss away to Longford Town at Bishopsgate.

Here are some talking points from Monday night’s round of games.

Shamrock Rovers show their mettle in big derby win.

Coming into the game without a mounting injury list and threadbare bench, Shamrock Rovers did what they do best to see off St Patrick’s Athletic.

Without the availability of Jack Byrne, Rovers were forced to draft in a number of inexperienced names on the bench, with highly-rated Justin Ferizaj being one of them.

Granted, only Aidomo Emakhu and Ferizaj came on, but it was a show of Rovers’ strength that they could come through a testing period of the season with six points when they were down a couple of key players.

They have now moved ten points clear of closest challengers Dundalk ahead of Friday’s trip to Finn Harps, and with their Champions League campaign set to begin next week, they are in fine fettle.

For the Saints, the result was a damaging one after their dramatic capitulation away to Harps on Friday, as MK Dons circle around one of their prised assets in Darragh Burns.

Cork City dismantle sorry Treaty United to stretch their lead.

In the First Division, Cork City proved exactly why they are now searing-hot favourites to win the league title, as they eased past Treaty United at the Market’s Field.

The Leesiders raced into a 4-0 lead by half-time, with four different goalscorers netting for Colin Healy’s side.

Kevin O’Connor, Matt Srbely, Ruairi Keating and Aaron Bolger all struck in the opening period, before Darragh Crowley then added the gloss to the win late on.

For Treaty, it is another heavy defeat for them against their Munster foes, with Tommy Barrett’s side dropping out of the play-off places by virtue of Wexford’s late draw away to Bray Wanderers.

However, they can be pleased that teenager Colin Conroy made an impact after being handed his first competitive start, with the former Bohemians U19 starlet tipped to make his senior League of Ireland breakthrough sooner rather than later.

Waterford continue good run under their new manager.

Elsewhere, Waterford’s resurgence continued as they breezed past the rather limited challenge of Athlone Town at Lissywoolen.

The win sees Danny Searle’s side pick up their eighth win on the spin, and their second under their new manager.

They are now just four points behind second-placed Galway United, and have two games in hand on the Tribesmen after an indifferent start to the campaign.

Elsewhere, Bray Wanderers season of misery continued as they blew a 2-0 lead against Wexford at the Carlisle Grounds.

In one of their better performances of the season, the Seagulls raced clear of the Slaneysiders thanks to goals from Paul Fox and talented forward Darragh Lynch.

However, Ian Ryan’s side hit back through Aaron Dobbs, with Karl Manahan’s late OG rescuing a point for Wexford. Bray are now six points outside the play-off positions after the draw.

bray fans statement

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