St Patrick's Athletic overcame Waterford United 3-0 in a St Patrick's eve eircom League of Ireland Premier Division blockbuster at Richmond Park.
Joseph Ndo got the first with a cracker from 30 yards before Anthony Murphy nipped in with his first of the season on 37 minutes.
Fahey, Murphy and Alan Kirby all had further chances as the game wound down before Murphy put the icing on the cake with his second on 80 minutes.
Pat's aborted the 4-5-1 that had borne fruit against Portadown in the Setanta Cup and instead started with Gary O'Neill and Mark Quigley up front with Ndo just behind them.
Waterford, fresh from their Munster derby win over Cork City last week, were without the banned Robbie Hedderman and Robert Brosnan and opted to start with regular number one Packie Holden instead of recent signing Dean Delaney.
Waterford had the first chance of the night after just seven minutes when Shane Harte put Vinny Sullivan through on the left of the Pat's box. Sullivan headed powerfully toward goal but Pat's goalkeeper Barry Ryan dived across and managed to tip the ball around the post.
Three minutes later John Frost send a corner into the box for Pat's which managed to clear the strikers and very nearly nipped into the top left corner of the net but ultimately shaved the outside of the post as it went wide.
Pat's looked more comfortable at this time and always looked like taking the lead. That they did on 24 minutes.
Ndo collected a weak clearance from the Waterford defence and, having casually taken the time to compose is shot and weigh up his options, slammed a ferocious 30-yarder that gave Holden no chance.
It was all Pat's at this stage and Murphy added number two on 37 minutes with a shot from the right of the box having been set up by Keith Fahey.
Quigley was yellow carded for a vicious tackle on Alan Mulcahy on 41 minutes.
Waterford came out fighting in the second half and played with more vigour and determination as they went about salvaging something from the game.
They sprayed the ball around well and proved highly inventive but couldn't find a way past the tried and trusted Pat’s back four.
Pat's had two chances to make it three on the hour. Firstly, Murphy beat the Waterford offside trap to race through unchallenged only for Holden to dash out of his goal to dispossess him.
The free ball then fell to Fahey who attempted to lob Holden as he raced back to the goalmouth. Fahey's effort was to high and the ball went over the post.
Kirby went close for Pat's on 75 minutes but Holden pulled off a fine diving save to deny him.
Ndo set up Murphy for number three, a superb header, with 10 minutes left on the clock.
St Patrick's: Ryan, Brennan, Frost, Maguire, C Foley, Kirby (O‘Connor 85), Fahey, O’Neill, M Quigley (Rooney 60) Ndo, Murphy (M Foley 80).
Waterford Utd: Holden, Flynn, Hayes, Keely, Breen, Mulcahy (Kavanagh h/t), Cooling, McCarthy, Sullivan, Harte, Warren
(McDonald 83).
Referer: T Connolly (Westmeath). Attendance: 2,500.
