Teenager Marc Guiu scored a first-half hat-trick as Chelsea cruised past Shamrock Rovers to finish top of the Conference League league phase and deny their visitors an automatic place in the knockout stage.
Already assured of a last-16 spot, Enzo Maresca’s youthful Blues made it six wins from six in the competition.
They made early pressure count by taking a deserved lead when 18-year-old striker Guiu capitalised on a misunderstanding between Darragh Burns and goalkeeper Leon Pohls.
Rovers, who had gone close twice through Johnny Kenny either side of Guiu’s opener, got back on level terms when Markus Poom’s fierce shot deflected in off midfielder Cesare Casadei, delighting their 3,000 travelling supporters.
But those celebrations were short-lived as Guiu intercepted Daniel Cleary’s under-hit back pass and steered the ball into the back of the net from the tightest of angles.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall drilled home a loose ball inside the area to give the Blues breathing space, before Guiu completed his treble with a close-range header in first-half stoppage time.
Marc Cucurella completed the scoring in the second half, his low shot striking the inside of the post on its way past Pohls as the Blues ended the league phase campaign in style.
Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, enter the knockout phase play-offs and await Friday’s draw.
