The Hoops are now level with Sligo at the top of the table following goals from Karl Sheppard, Ciaran Kilduff, Billy Dennehy and Gary O'Neill..

Drogheda keeper Stephen Trimble had made a couple of saves before Ronan Ricketts supplied the corner from which Sheppard headed the opener in the 23th minute.

Kilduff added the second when he ran onto a Sheppard flick then dribbled past keeper Trimble before slotting into an unguareded net in the 41st  minute.

Trimble had made a number of decent saves before Rovers went 3-0 up in the 70th minute. Dennehy converted from the spot after Brian Gannon fouled Kilduff.

Drogheda's Dinny Corcoran had an effort chalked off for offside before Gary O'Neill made it 4-0 with seven minutes left. Dennehy turned supplier this time for O'Neill to convert.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Brush; Sullivan, Sives (Dennehy 46), Murray, Stevens; McCormack (Finn 77), Paterson, Turner, Ricketts; Sheppard (O'Neill 71), Kilduff.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Trimble; Gaul, McNally, Rogers, Hand; Fitzgerald (Quigley 46), Lynch, Gannon (Mulvenna 79), McMahon, Brennan; White (Corcoran 60).

REFEREE: Tom Connolly.