Well taken second-half goals from Mark Rutherford and Dessie Baker (two) put Shelbourne through to the League Cup final against Sligo Rovers in the New Year after this emphatic defeat of Dundalk in their semi-final, second leg, at Tolka Park last night.

They may have taken their time, but it was classic Shelbourne towards the finish as they tore a weakened Dundalk side apart in the latter stages.

In a fitful first-half, neither side got to grips in midfield, but the chances came thick and fast at either end, with a corner count of six-four in favour of Shelbourne, some evidence of a flowing game.

Baker shot well over early on before Dundalk's Tom McNulty made a fine interception as Baker raced through on 25 minutes.

It certainly wasn't one way traffic and Dundalk were well in the game in the first-half. David Hoey might have made more of a chance gifted to him by a lax Tony Sheridan but shot wide.

In such an open game the goals just had to come and Shelbourne broke the deadlock to virtually wrap up the tie eleven minutes into the second-half.

Sheridan initially lost possession to David Crawley, but admirably won the ball back to find Pascal Vaudequin down the right. His cross was flicked on by Baker for Rutherford to score in off the crossbar at the second attempt.

It appeared all over at that juncture, but Brian Byrne fluffed a great chance to put Dundalk level within two minutes.

McNulty played him through on goal and he skilfully rounded Alan Gough only to see Mick Neville get back and clear his shot away.

Baker failed to punish a dreadful mistake by Steve Williams on 67 minutes when the Dundalk goalkeeper shot a back pass straight to him. But he made amends four minutes afterwards. Another defensive mistake, this time by 16-year-old substitute, Brian McCrystal, who failed to cut out Sheridan's cross, gifting Baker the ball and he drilled it low past Williams.

Dundalk were now in some disarray and it was another error, this time in midfield, that resulted in Shelbourne's third goal on 78 minutes when Sheridan put a telling ball through to Baker, who once more had a lot of time to pick his shot and score.

Shelbourne: Gough, Costello, Neville, McCarthy, Smith; Vaudequin, Campbell, Fitzgerald, Sheridan, Rutherford; Baker. Subs: D Geoghegan for McCarthy (73 mins), K O'Brien for Rutherford (80 mins), Brady for Fitzgerald (85 mins).

Dundalk: Williams; Reddish, McNulty, Doohan, Crawley; Hoey, Melvin, McConville, McCoy; Delaney, Byrne. Subs: McCrystal for Delaney (64 mins), Ward and Jauny for McNulty and McConville (both 76 mins).

Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).