A brace from Zack Elbouzedi, a Chris Forrester penalty just before half-time and a 77th-minute goal from Ryan Edmondson gave St Pat's a come-from-behind win against Waterford at Richmond Park.
Graham Coughlin's first SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division game in charge of Waterford ended in defeat with Stephen Kenny's side recovering from falling behind to a John Mahon header after only five minutes.
Forrester’s spot-kick restored parity in the second minute of added time at the end of the opening half and that gave the Saints the impetus going into the second priod.
Aided by a brace from Elbouzedi, the second a beauty from 25 yards, Pat's stay second in the table.
The home side made two changes from last week’s draw in Galway, bringing in winger Elbouzedi for Anto Breslin and Darragh Nugent for Jamie Lennon.
The Blues started Northern Irish underage international midfielder Sam Glenfield who scored the winner in the promotion/relegation playoff against Bray Wanderers at the end of last season. Former Republic of Ireland international defender Kevin Long also got the nod.
Having survived an early Forrester free-kick which whizzed over the Blues crossbar, the away side broke away. Padraig Almond was denied by the legs of Pat's keeper Joe Anang. However, from the resultant in-swinging corner, Mahon was free to head past Anang and give Waterford a surprise lead with five minutes played.
It was Lonergan’s sixth of the season, and it came against his former club.
Having conceded early, as they have done a few occasions this season, Pat's came mighty close to a 13th-minute equaliser as Kian Leavy worked his way in from the right to lash in a left footer that was just the wrong side of the post.
Waterford soaked up a lot of pressure in the opening half but almost made it 2-0 four minutes before the break as Lonergan danced his way into the area, only to be denied when his goalbound shot was deflected behind for a corner.
But the home side were level in first half injury-time after referee Rob Harney adjudged that Barry Baggley was hauled down by Glenfield. Forrester sent Blues keeper Arlo Doherty the wrong way.
Indeed, Forrester almost got a second just after the break as he cut in from the left and his bending effort just flew past the far post.
In the 57th minute, Pat's hit the front. James Brown’s right-wing cross was headed on by Forrester and after it ricocheted off defender Jordan Houston, Elbouzedi snuck in at the back post to score.
Elbouzedi then netted his second just after the hour mark. After Leavy’s shot was blocked, the St Pat's winger curled a sumptuous effort from distance into the top corner.
The home side got their fourth in the 77th minute as Elbouzedi set up Edmondson in the area and he crashed in his seventh of the season giving St Pat's the double over the Blues having won 2-0 at the RSC earlier in the season.
The visitors are now winless in 15 matches and 10 points from the relegation play-off place.
St Patrick's Athletic: Joe Anang; Luke Turner, Sean Hoare, Joe Redmond (cap), James Brown; Zack Elbouzedi, Darragh Nugent, Barry Crowe Baggley, Kian Leavy (Jamie Lennon 79) ; Chris Forrester (Romal Palmer 79) ; Ryan Edmondson (Max Mata 79)
Waterford FC: Arlo Doherty; Jordan Houston (Jordan McKenzie Faria 75) , Haydon Cann, John Mahon, Kevin Long, Bernardo Peixoto Couto; Conan Noonan (Jorgen Volias 83), Dean McMenamy (William Johnson 68), Sam Glenfield (Luke Heeney 45); Padraig Amond (capt, Conor Carty 83), Tommy Lonergan
Referee: Rob Harvey
Attendance: 4,132
