Bray Wanderers 3 Shamrock Rovers 0:The chances of Shamrock Rovers pilfering the league title from Drogheda United's grasp were slim enough before this encounter, but they're all but dead in the water now.
Not only did the visitors fail to secure the win that would have sent them within five of the leaders, but they shot themselves in the foot when self-destructing in spectacular fashion in the opening half.
In the space of four helter-skelter minutes shortly before the break, goalkeeper Barry Murphy and midfielder Paul Shiels were sent off and, understandably, Rovers were left rudderless thereafter. Considering their numerical disadvantage, it's not surprising they lost.
Rather, it's amazing they went under by just the three goals such was the possession Bray enjoyed for the second 45 minutes.
While eager to bridge the gap between themselves and Drogheda, the travelling support were left deeply frustrated with the manner in which their team started the game.
Pinned deep in their own half for lengthy spells prior to the red cards, Rovers struggled to muster purposeful surges forward. But the dismissals derailed whatever hopes they harboured of belatedly instigating a game plan.
First, some 10 minutes before the break, Barry Murphy was dismissed for handling outside his area. The goalkeeper had raced off his line to gather a forward ball, but defender Ger O'Brien, playing in an unfamiliar centre half role and unaware of his team-mate's actions, attempted to head the ball back to safety. Murphy, though, stuck up his hands to prevent it straying loose in behind and got his marching orders.
Reeling from that setback, Rovers then lost Shields moments later after he clashed with opponent Paul Caffrey in retaliation to a challenge.
The break couldn't come quickly enough for a team rapidly unravelling.
The visiting support vented their frustration at referee Damien Hancock as the teams left for the interval. But even with 11 men, Rovers lacked the guile to unlock a Bray side who themselves were far from fluent.
Bray went for the jugular against the depleted visitors immediately after the restart. Yet, they initially squandered a host of chances in a blitzkrieg spell. Ray Kenny, James O'Shea and Delaney all failed to find the target when space was both plentiful and inviting.
Nevertheless, the inevitable was not long in coming.
As Rovers' restructured defence did its utmost to thwart advances close in, Alan Cawley capitalised with a superb 25-yard shot that left Murphy's replacement, John McGuinness, in a heap in the back of his own net.
Two goals in the final 10 minutes sealed Rovers' fate, and with it gifted Drogheda one hand on their first ever league trophy.
Delaney nonchalantly steered home Paul Dunphy's pass before O'Shea latched on to Stephen Fox's through ball to beat McGuinness for the third and final time.
Rovers, of course, will plough on until the permutations are mathematically beyond them, but with suspensions accumulating their task is altogether more considerable after this decisive defeat.
BRAY WANDERERS: Williams; Ivory (Deans, 85 mins), Delaney, Kenny, Cronin; O'Shea (McCabe, 87 mins), Cawley, Caffrey, Kavanagh; Fox, Omwubiko (Dunphy, 78 mins).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy; Cassidy, O'Brien, Ferguson, Clarke; Martin, Shiels, McGill, Tyrell (Rowe, 62 mins); Purcell (Doyle, 73 mins), Myler (McGuinness, 36 mins).
Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).
