The 200 lucky St Patrick’s Athletic fans who made it to Richmond Park on Friday night saw their side leapfrog Sligo Rovers into second with a fully-deserved 2-0 win.
A small contingent were welcomed back to the Inchicore venue for the first time in almost a year as Matty Smith and Rónán Coughlan netted a goal in either half and the Saints eased to victory.
Scottish winger Smith gave Stephen O’Donnell’s side the perfect start with a sixth-minute opener before Coughlan wrapped up the win against his former side from the penalty spot late on.
St Pat's created a flurry of chances in the first half and could easily have led by more at the break, but the opening goal arrived somewhat against the run of play as the visitors had started well.
A mistake from ex-Saint Jordan Gibson allowed Robbie Benson to flick the ball towards Coughlan in the box, but John Mahon did well to get his head to the ball first and clear.
Unfortunately for the Ireland under-21 defender, the ball dropped straight to Smith, who had time and space to calmly side-foot into the bottom corner.
With Shamrock Rovers trailing to an early goal in Waterford, that left the Saints briefly top of the table, though normal service was soon restored at the RSC.
The home side assumed tighter control as the half wore on and Smith was denied a second, from a well-struck volley, only by a fine Robbie McCourt block.
Smith's fellow Scot Billy King was twice denied by Ireland under-21 keeper Ed McGinty, first from a header and then when the stopper batted away a well-struck shot from close range.
The visitors lost McCourt in first-half injury time as he fell awkwardly on his shoulder, but they started the second half strongly.
Liam Buckley, back at the ground where he lifted the title twice as a manager, saw his side dominate the ball but neither Mark Byrne nor Gibson could trouble Vitezslav Jaros with long-range efforts.
Pats looked as adept on the break as they had been in possession in the first half, and it took a brilliant interception from Mahon to deny Coughlan a tap-in after Smith had robbed Greg Bolger.
Coughlan wouldn’t be denied for long. Another unforced error, this one from Lewis Banks, allowed Smith to break into the box and, as he cut back, Mahon clipped his heel.
The Limerick striker took responsibility for the penalty himself and, with a hop and a skip, he sent his former teammate McGinty the wrong way and condemn the visitors to a second successive defeat.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Vitezslav Jaros; John Mountney, Paddy Barrett, Lee Desmond, Ian Bermingham; Alfie Lewis, Chris Forrester (Jamie Lennon 69), Robbie Benson; Billy King (Darragh Burns 62), Matty Smith (Jay McClelland 88), Rónán Coughlan.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Colm Horgan, John Mahon, Lewis Banks (Danny Kane 83), Robbie McCourt (Regan Donelon 45+1); Greg Bolger, Niall Morahan (Johnny Kenny 83), Walter Figueira (David Cawley 66); Mark Byrne (Shane Blaney 83), Jordan Gibson, Romeo Parkes.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)
