Bohemians - 4 Bray Wanderers - 0:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eager to emphasise in his programme notes the far greater importance of winning league matches, Stephen Kenny's Bohemians wasted no time in scrubbing last week's FAI Cup semi-final defeat to arch-rivals Shamrock Rovers from the memory bank as they opened up a staggering 12-point lead at the top of the table with this facile win over an injury-ravaged Bray.
The cup disappointment was all too quickly forgotten as Bohemians were in front through Glen Crowe - on his way to a hat-trick - after just 36 seconds, and cruising once strike partner Paul Keegan added another on 20 minutes.
To say Bray were caught cold for the opening goal is an understatement. Fergal Harkin threaded a ball through for Crowe in ample space on the right edge of the area. A stride or two had him in on goal and Bray captain John Walsh, despite getting a hand to the ball, couldn't stop Crowe's right-foot shot.
Stunned by their early concession, Bray never recovered and, after Keegan headed a Mark Rutherford corner the wrong side of a post and Walsh was forced into an easy save from Crowe, Keegan stretched Bohemians' lead with a superb goal.
Harkin was again instrumental, winning the ball inside his half to begin a move involving Kevin Hunt and Stephen Caffrey before he regained possession to sweep the ball wide left to Rutherford. The winger applied a delicate chip into the area for Keegan who rose and audaciously chested the ball into the net form two yards out.
Bray's problems continued with Maurice Farrell injured in the build-up to the goal and carried off on a stretcher.
With Pat Devlin's side having no answer to his deceptive pace off the mark, Crowe was rampant. He volleyed into the arms of Walsh, then headed a Damian Lynch free-kick over the top before increasing Bohemians' lead on 41 minutes.
Ironically, considering all the possession they had, it was route one stuff and delighted goalkeeper Ashley Bayes played a key role. His long clearance put Crowe in on goal and the striker drilled a shot from a tight angle past Walsh.
Crowe's hat-trick looked on in first-half stoppage time but Walsh made a superb, one-handed save to turn his shot out for a corner.
But with the Bray defence a shambles, further goals had to come and Crowe, who again forced a good stop from Walsh on 52 minutes, did finally complete his hat-trick a minute later.
Harkin was again involved, feeding Keegan down the right. Keegan's ball took a slight deflection to put Crowe in to round Walsh and casually slide the ball home, despite Wes Charles' presence on the goal line, for his 14th goal of the season.
Outplayed and totally outclassed, it got no better for Bray as they missed a chance of a consolation goal form a penalty awarded on the hour mark for a foul by Tony O'Connor on Paul Forsyth. But John Flood, a 17-year-old debutant, had his spot kick saved by Bayes.
BOHEMIANS: Bayes; Lynch, McNally (Coughlan 54 mins), Hawkins, Webb; Harkin, Caffrey, Hunt, Rutherford (O'Connor 54 mins); Keegan (O'Neill 65 mins), Crowe.
BRAY WANDERERS: Walsh; Britton, Charles, Long, Farrell (Doohan 22 mins); Flood, Keogh (Brack 79 mins), Tresson, Forsyth (Lawless 84 mins); Zayed, Fox.
Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).
