DERRY CITY were a goal shy of a five-star performance but laid bare their title credentials with a ruthless filleting of awful St Pat’s.
With the top four facing each other, all eyes were on the league-leading Candystripes to see if they could handle the scrutiny.
But they did more than that on a night that couldn’t have gone any better for them - and any worse for the hosts.
Derry pitched up in Dublin and systematically pulled the Saints apart with a brilliant performance that will leave nobody in any doubt that they mean business.
Ace striker Jamie McGonigle scored his fourth and fifth goals in two games while ex-Saint Matty Smith and Cameron Dummigan were also on the mark.
But Will Patching and Brandon Kavanagh were a joy to watch as they tormented a Saints side who were all at sea and who have dropped from third to fifth.
The bonus for the visitors was leaving the pitch to the news that second-placed Shamrock Rovers were held in Sligo, allowing Derry stretch their lead to three points.
Alarm bells were ringing from the outset for Saints fans as Derry opened their account in the fourth minute with Smith returning to haunt the club he recently left.
Kavanagh could have unleashed a shot himself, but had the presence of mind to tee-up his team-mate who beat Joseph Anang with a flick of the boot.
And the Saints capitulated thereafter. Derry were so tenacious in all aspects of play, but were helped time and again by the wasteful hosts.
When Joe Redmond, under no obvious pressure, gifted the ball to Patching it looked like the former Manchester City youth would score but he miscued his shot.
It was his only error of the night.
And he was only warming up because he and Kavanagh were the Candystripes most potent threats, even though McGonigle gets the headlines with his goals.
The sheer number of unforced errors from St Pat’s was quite something, and Derry didn’t need to be asked twice to punish them.
On the half hour, Patching was toying with his opponents just inside a crowded box when he laid the ball off to Smith who then found McGonigle to finish close in..
That was the striker’s fourth goal in two matches having smashed a hat-trick in last week’s 7-1 demolition of UCD - but he wasn’t finished there.
St Pat’s were continuing to struggle in defence and midfield, but were threatened on the rare occasions when ball was worked into the final third.
Redmond was an aerial threat from set pieces and had Billy King’s ball across the face of goal found Eoin Doyle, the FAI Cup holders might have gained a valuable foothold.
Jack Scott - hooked at half-time - could also have provided one, but the on-loan Wolves fullback blazed a high shot over the crossbar from the back post.
But league leaders Derry were ruthless and scored a third three minutes before the break to kill any slender hopes of a home side comeback.
Kavanagh’s reverse pass to McGonigle was exquisite and centre-back Tom Grivosti was left in a spin. McGonigle’s pace, purpose and precision was lethal.
St Pat’s - with Ronan Coughlan on at half-time - started the second-half with more purpose.
But, again, it counted for nothing because Derry were scoring for fun.
And Dummigan’s cool, long range strike that cannoned in off the post in the 61st minute, from a Patching ball, was just sensational.
And St Pat’s misery was compounded late on when Coughlan had to be carried off the pitch with a bad looking leg injury.
As he has done all season, Derry boss Ruaidhri Higgins will continue to play down expectations.
But the evidence here suggests that his impressive team has the stomach to hang tough in what is fast becoming a two-horse title race.
ST PAT’S
Joseph Anang 5
Jack Scott 4
Joe Redmond 5
Tom Grivosti 4
Ian Bermingham 5
Chris Forrester 5
Adam O’Reilly 5
Anto Breslin 5
Darragh Burns 5
Eoin Doyle 5
Billy King 5
Subs: Ronan Coughlan (for Scott, 45), Tunde Owolabi (for Burns, 64), Jason McClelland (for King, 64), Ben McCormack (for Coughlan 83)
Subs not used: David Odumosu, Sam Curtis, Ross Fay, Kian Corbally, Kyle Robinson.
DERRY CITY
Brian Maher 7
Ronan Boyce 7
Shane McEleney 7
Eoin Toal 7
Cameron McJannet 7
Cameron Dummigan 7
Patrick McEleney 7
Brandon Kavanagh 8
Will Patching 8
Matty Smith 7
Jamie McGonigle 8
Subs: Joe Thomson for (McEleney 69), Evan McLaughlin for (Kavanagh 69), Daniel Lafferty (for Boyce 82), Ciaran Coll (for Patching 82)
Subs not used: Nathan Gartside, Caoimhin Porter, Daithi McCallion, Liam Mullan, James Akintunde (for McGonigle 75)
Referee: Rob Hennessy
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