Sligo Rovers claimed their first SSE Airtricity League Men's Premier Division win of the new campaign in impressive fashion after blowing Dundalk away in Oriel Park.
John Russell's side hadn’t won in their previous eight matches since beating Derry City 1-0 at the Showgrounds on 22 September last while it was 1 May when they last won on their travels.
However, despite playing into a first-half gale, the Bit O'Red hammered Dundalk as two goals from Ellis Chapman and further strikes from Fabrice Hartmann and Max Mata saw them become the first side since Cork Hibs in March 1966 to score four goals in a single half of a league game at Oriel.
A further goal from Mata just after the hour mark saw them equal their biggest ever league win against the Louth men, who crashed to the bottom of the table after Stephen O’Donnell’s heaviest defeat in charge.
The Bit O'Red hit the front on seven minutes when Chapman slotted through the legs of George Shelvey after Mata had laid off Hartmann’s pass to him.
The visitors then doubled their lead on 14 minutes when Shelvey allowed a shot from just outside the box by Hartmann to slip under him and into the net.
After Robbie Benson had headed wide from a corner with Dundalk’s only real chance of note in the first half five minutes later, Sligo then made it 3-0 on 33 minutes.
Boos rang out around Oriel Park after another calamitous goal. The visitors broke through Ollie Denham, who looked like he had put Mata in. Andy Boyle got back to make a challenge but everyone in a white shirt stood admiring it as Chapman sauntered in to slot in from the left of goal.
At that stage O’Donnell made a couple of changes but things went from bad to worse for his side on 39 minutes when a shot from Mata crept past Shelvey after more chaotic defending from the hosts.
After two further changes at the break, including the replacement of their goalkeeper, Dundalk threatened to pull one back on 58 minutes when Scott High's through ball put Sam Durrant in behind Reece Hutchinson but Ed McGinty saved superbly with an outstretched left leg.
That was to prove crucial as Sligo made it 5-0 four minutes later with the visitors hitting their opponents on the break as Chapman picked out Mata with a superb ball before the New Zealander finished calmly to the bottom right hand corner past Ross Munro.
The Scottish keeper then made a superb stop to push John Ross Wilson’s free kick around the post on 74 minutes before denying Owen Elding two minutes from time.
Dundalk: George Shelvey (Ross Munro HT); Archie Davies, Mayowa Animasahun (Louie Annesley HT), Andy Boyle, Jamie Walker (Sam Durrant 37); Zak Bradshaw (Hayden Muller 37), Paul Doyle; Daryl Horgan, Scott High, Robbie Benson (Jamie Gullan 64); Cameron Elliott (Ciaran McGuckin 64).
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty, John Ross Wilson (Charlie Wiggett 83), Ollie Denham, Nando Pijnaker, Reece Hutchinson (Stefan Radosavjevic 71); Niall Morahan, Connor Malley (Owen Elding 71); Ellis Chapman (Kailin Barlow 64), Fabrice Hartmann, Will Fitzgerald; Max Mata (Wilson Waweru 64).
Referee: Marc Lynch (Galway).
