Shamrock Rovers got their title hopes right back on track with a facile 3-1 win against a Limerick side that finished with ten men.
The win moves Pat Scully's Hoops to within three points of joint- leaders Galway United and Dundalk, though Rovers have a game in hand.
Dominant from the start, Rovers came close on two occasions through Ger Rowe, before the lively striker was instrumental in their first goal on 17 minutes.
Rowe won possession and fed the ball in to Andy Myler, with the big striker showing terrific feet to cut past a defender and get in a shot.
Limerick keeper Austin O'Neill allowed the ball squirm under his body and David McGill raced in to force the ball home for his first goal of the season.
The game was effectively over on 32 minutes when O'Neill handled Myler's chip outside the area and was dismissed by referee Derek Tomney.
Striker Shane Guerin was sacrificed for replacement keeper John Healy, but he was helpless as Myler curled a splendid free kick low around a poorly constructed wall.
Rovers added a third two minutes before the break.
Myler combined well again with Rowe to play his strike partner through on goal and the finish was sublime, as the delicate chip easily beat Healy.
Ray Kenny, moved up to midfield, should have added a fourth 20 minutes from time, but Healy made a good parry before Conor Sinnott cleared Kenny's follow-up off the line.
Substitute Derek McCarthy drilled home from just inside the box on 75 minutes to give Limerick some consolation.
Shamrock Rovers: Murphy; G O'Brien, Price, Kenny, Clarke; Pender (Purcell, 78 mins), Perth (Ryan, 38 mins), E. McGill, D McGill; Myler, Rowe (Breen, 68 mins).
Limerick FC: O'Neill; Purcell (Pender, 78 mins), Finucane, Buckley; Molan, Cooney (McCarthy, 65 mins), Lester, Burke (Sinnott, 58 mins), Heffernan; Guerin (Healy, 33 mins), Barrett.
Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).
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