Title hunting Dundalk outclassed Treaty United with captain Daryl Horgan leading the charge for the Louth side.
His treble and a brace of assists completed a memorable visit to Limerick and move them eight points clear at the top of the second tier, hitting the home side for seven.
They had far too much quality for an out-of-form Treaty United who are now in danger of slipping out of the play-off spots, if their poor form continues.
It is the biggest victory of the season for the Lillywhites, who have now scored thirteen across their last two wins.
Having finished level in each of the three games this season, Dundalk were clinical in ensuring that they wouldn't let the lead slip as they’d done in each of those clashes.
Goals after ten, twenty and thirty minutes ensured that was very unlikely to happen. A fourth soon after added to the woes for Tommy Barrett’s outfit, who’ve been in disappointing form in the second half of the season.
The opener arrived when Aodh Dervan spotted the clever movement from Horgan at the back post and despite his initial effort, a header, rebounding off the post, he beat keeper Corey Chambers to the rebound and finished from virtually on the goal line.
Horgan pounced again on 20 minutes, once more he wasn’t tracked as another right wing cross, this from Conor O’Keeffe, was steered home by a clever flick from the Galwegian.
Patrick Ferry soon passed up a golden chance to bring the Limerick side back into it, but couldn’t generate the power with his close-range header. To their credit Treaty did probe and created half openings, but their inability to defend at the other end was exposed.
A third goal came from what appeared to be a cross from Gbemi Arubi, with Chambers getting a touch before the ball crossed over the line.
Some controversy arrived just three minutes after that goal, as Lee Devitt was felled by O’Keeffe, as the pair battled for the ball on the edge of the area. The defender pl United’s top scorer blazed his free-kick high and wide.
Within sixty seconds it was 4-0, as Evan O’Connor turned a cross from Eoin Kenny into his own net, with Horgan possibly about to pounce for his third. Even the introduction of Treaty’s Chris Horgan could do little to spoil the influence of his older brother.
Horgan added two assists and completed his hat-trick, from the penalty spot late on.
Goal five came from teenager Vinnie Leonard, who headed in at the back post, from a deep Horgan corner.
Another teen, Rohan Vaughaun showed impact from the bench, by heading in Horgan’s deft cross to make it three goals in a week.
The penalty on 83 minutes completed the rout, Horgan blasting home to complete the feat, before celebrating with the travelling support.
The relentless nature of the performance from the away side emphasised the quality they have held over the majority of the second tier this season.
Elsewhere Dundalk's closest challengers Cobh Ramblers dropped two valuable points after a 2-2 draw at home to UCD.
It could have been worse for the hosts, with Jonas Hakkinen finding the net in the final minute to claim a share of the spoils after Hugh Smith and Adam Wells had twice put the Students into the lead.
Athlone Town slumped to their 17th defeat of a difficult campaign after a 2-1 loss away to Finn Harps.
Conor Tourish and Hans Mpongo scored in either half for the hosts, and while Dean Williams pulled one back, Athlone remain rooted to the bottom of the table, 11 points adrift of a Longford Town side that fell to a 1-0 defeat to Kerry FC, Cian Brosnan with the only goal of the game.
Bray Wanderers cemented their third position in the table, Cian Curtis’ fourth-minute goal the difference between them and Wexford at Ferrycarrig Park.
Treaty United: Corey Chambers; Evan O’Connor (Chris Horgan '46), Robbie Lynch, Mark Walsh (C), Ben Lynch; Colin Conroy (Steven Healy 72), Connor Wilson (Richkov Boevi 85); Mark Byrne, Mark Murphy (Fionn Doherty ’46), Lee Devitt; Patrick Ferry (Joe Hanson 72)
Dundalk: Enda Minogue; Conor O’Keeffe (Andy Paraschiv 78), Mayowa Animasahun, Vinnie Leonard, John Wilson; Eoin Kenny (Norman Garbett 68), Aodh Dervin, Harry Groome (Keith Ward 67), Daryl Horgan; Declan McDaid (Dean Ebbe 67); Gbemi Arubi (Rohan Vaughan 68).
Referee: Daniel Murphy.
