Shamrock Rovers capitalise on insipid second-half Bohemians display

Shamrock Rovers made it back-to-back wins for the first time this season as a raucous and record-breaking 10,094 people packed into Tallaght Stadium for the first major Dublin Derby of the year.

Second-half strikes from Johnny Kenny, Darragh Burns and Aaron Greene made up for a quiet opening 45, as the Hoops neutralised Bohemians and the plans of newly appointed manager Alan Reynolds.

With only two days of training since being appointed, the former Shamrock Rovers player should be immune from blame tonight.

His side enjoyed a solid opening 45 before a near-total disintegration in the second half. Substitute Declan McDaid restored some respect to the scoreline with a 93rd minute consolation.

Rovers against Bohs has always been an outlier. The biggest game in the country, the hardest to get a ticket for, the one broadcasters want to show. It's the game even the most casual Irish football fans watch out for. This has been the case for as long as most League of Ireland fans can remember.

However, tonight was different again. This was a glimpse into the future of what every League of Ireland experience should be.

It was a record crowd for a 'modern era' League of Ireland game. The largest crowd at a league match this century.

Four sold-out stands lining each side of a perfect pitch. LED advertising screens flashed around the margins of play, state-of-the-art sound systems built the atmosphere. There were varied options for food and refreshments. Even the toilets are worthy of mention – a far cry from the portaloos and shacks seen in many other grounds across the country.

There is a long way to go before this becomes the norm in Irish football.

However, this is yet another sign that football in this country – with the right supports –