Sparkling Shelbourne hit Drogheda for six

Sean Boyd proved spot on with a brace of goals from penalties as Shelbourne ended their drought of 11 league games without a win in some style at Tolka Park, thrashing Drogheda United 6-0.

Their biggest victory of the year in their final home match of the season was just the tonic for Damien Duff's FAI Cup finalists.

With Ruaidhri Higgins, manager of cup final opponents Derry City, a very interested spectator, the game began at a frantic pace as both sides got the ball forward early at every opportunity.

But it was Shelbourne who were the far more direct, punishing a goalkeeping slip to deliver their lead in the eighth minute.

JJ Lunney cleverly found Matty Smith in a pocket of space to get turned to rifle in a shot that Colin McCabe clumsily allowed to squirm through his hands and out for a corner.

Shane Farrell’s ball was nodded down by Stephan Negru to Jack Moylan loitering with full intent at the back stick to sweep the ball home for his seventh league goal of the season.

Brimming with confidence now, Shelbourne doubled their lead seven minutes later.

Again the skilful Moylan was instrumental, slipping John Ross Wilson in down the inside right channel. The wingback then finished with some aplomb, drilling a crisp right-foot drive past McCabe.

With Drogheda reeling now, they found themselves 3-0 down within a further seven minutes.

Gavin Molloy went to ground inside the area from Lunney’s dinked free kick with referee Mark Moynihan pointing to the spot.

Boyd, back from a two-match suspension, sent McCabe the wrong way to score emphatically from 12 yards.

The big Reds striker had only another 10 minutes to wait to increase rampant Shelbourne’s lead.

Farrell’s superb diagonal ball looked to have put Smith in behind as the