Fifteen-year-old TJ Molloy scored an early opener as Dundalk progressed to the Leinster Senior Cup quarter-finals for the second year running with a comfortable 4-0 win over Shamrock Rovers at Roadstone on Friday night.

The Lilywhites went into the game in confident mood after their Malone Cup win over Drogheda United at Oriel Park seven days earlier and manager Ciarán Kilduff used the opportunity to shuffle his pack, with seven changes from that Louth Derby win.

Peter Cherrie, Ethen Vaughan, Seán Spaight, Andy Paraschiv, Luke Mulligan, Keith Ward and Molloy all came into the starting XI in place of Enda Minogue, Vinnie Leonard, Seán Keogh, Aodh Dervin, Harry Groome, Leo Gaxha and Dean Ebbe.

Dundalk were quickly out of the blocks against the Hoops’ Under-20s, and after Eoin Kenny had had a goal ruled out and Molloy had gone close moments earlier, the latter made the breakthrough when finding a way past ‘keeper Todd Bazunu with a 14th-minute finish to the bottom corner.

The Lilywhites were soon 2-0 up when Kenny grabbed his third goal of pre-season, and captain Daryl Horgan added a third before the half-hour mark to leave the visitors in total command at the break.

At half-time, Kilduff made a triple change as Minogue, Dervin and Gaxha were all introduced, in place of Cherrie, Mayowa Animasahun and Molloy. They added a fourth in the 54th minute when Gaxha scored his first goal for the club with a simple finish after being set up by Horgan.

The win saw Dundalk leapfrog Rovers at the top of Group B on goal difference, as they shot to +7 while Rovers fell to +1, both teams on six points. Usher Celtic currently sit in third place on three points, with a -3 goal difference, and will complete their group fixtures against Malahide United on 21st February.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Todd Bazunu, Barry Kealy, Evan Mearns, Kian Dignam (C), Danny Burke (Jack Greene 69), Seán McDonald (Zak Reddy HT), Harry Murray (Tadhg Prizeman 84), Lenix Lynch (Cian Kenna 88), Goodness Ogbonna, Ajibola Oluwabiyi, Brody Lee (Desmond Armstrong 69). Subs not used: Maxwell Cooke (GK), Alex Snow.

DUNDALK FC: Peter Cherrie (Enda Minogue HT), Ethen Vaughan, Conor O’Keeffe, Mayowa Animasahun (Aodh Dervin HT), Seán Spaight (Seán Keogh 62), Andy Paraschiv, Luke Mulligan, Eoin Kenny (Harry Groome 62), Keith Ward, Daryl Horgan (C), TJ Molloy (Leo Gaxha HT). Subs not used: Muhammad Haris, Vinnie Leonard.

REFEREE: Neil Doyle.