Clinically taken goals from Patrick McClean, Ally Roy and Jack Keaney earned Sligo Rovers victory at Richmond Park as St Patrick's Athletic slumped to a fifth successive SSE Airtricity League Premier Division defeat.
St Patrick's began reasonably well before it soon went pear-shaped as they had little answer to Sligo's vibrant attack.
A loose pass presented St Pat's with the game's first chance four minutes in.
Winger Dean Clarke picked out striker Jake Keegan in the area, but Seamus Sharkey was alert to the danger and promptly got in a telling block as Sligo cleared.
Saints' skipper Ian Bermingham then looped a header over the bar from Simon Madden's arcing cross in from the right minutes later.
But their bright start counted for nothing as Sligo took an 11th-minute lead from a short corner routine.
Captain Rhys McCabe and Lewis Morrison were involved before David Cawley eventually put the ball across into the St Pat's box where central defender McClean arrived to stretch out his left leg and find the net from close range.
The goal invigorated Sligo who enjoyed plenty of the ball subsequently as St Pat's struggled to get back into the game.
His pace having got him in behind the home rearguard, striker Roy might have done better than shank his shot well wide, though he would soon make amends.
St Pat's were incensed at not getting a penalty on 28 minutes when Sharkey appeared to push Ryan Brennan over in the box.
To add to their ire, Sligo broke and doubled their lead seconds later with a superb goal.
McCabe found Roy who exchanged passes with Adam Wixted before rifling a right foot drive to the far corner of Barry Murphy's net.
St Pat's had more about them on the resumption and were close to getting a goal back five minutes in.
Conan Byrne and Darragh Markey worked a free kick to Keegan whose low drive was saved by the feet of Beeney.
Sligo had John Mahon to thank minutes later when he blocked Keegan's effort, following a Byrne's corner, on the line.
A second penalty shout for a handball on 66 minutes went unanswered to further anger St Pat's as they huffed and puffed in trying to get back into the game.
Sligo defended tenaciously, epitomised by a brave block by substitute Keaney from Ryan Brennan's shot on 75 minutes.
The Bit o' Red sealed victory with their third goal on 83 minutes when Keaney pounced on a mistake to race in and drill past Murphy.
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