Mason Melia brace sees St Pat's overcome 10-man Sligo Rovers
While the 17-year-old Tottenham Hotspur-bound striker was central to most of the game's highlights, Sligo were rightly livid at the sending off of Patrick McClean just before half-time which ruined what had been a competitive game.
All but out of Europe ahead of the second leg following their 4-1 home defeat to Turkish giants Besiktas, St Pat's got their quest for European qualification next year back on track here.
Stephen Denny's side remain sixth in the table but there are now just five points separating them from second-placed Bohemians.
Back-to-back defeats for Sligo sees them remain in trouble second bottom of the table.
The chief talking point of a pretty uninspiring first half arrived on 42 minutes when Sligo were astonished in being reduced to 10 men.
Centre-back McClean, who was having a very solid game, certainly tripped Melia as the teenager tried to skip by him.
But despite there being obvious cover there from Sebastian Quirk, referee Damien MacGraith incensed Sligo by brandishing a straight red card to McClean for a last-man challenge in what looked an horrendous decision.
Sam Sargeant rescued Sligo from Jake Mulraney's resultant free kick with a stunning save to tip the effort onto the crossbar.
But a mistake by the goalkeeper would gift St Pat's the lead four minutes after the restart.
Sargeant misjudged Chris Forrester's ball over the top allowing Mulraney to nip in to walk the ball to the net as the keeper collided with his captain Will Fitzgerald.
Sligo were then at sixes-and-sevens as they somehow survived conceding a second goal on the double on 55.
First Sargeant saved well from Melia who had nicked the ball a little too easily off Sean Stewart.
Simon Power looked set to score from the rebound but for a terrific goal-line clearance by Ollie Denham.
But there was no such reprieve a minute later when St Pat's did extend their lead with another soft goal.
Brandon Kavanagh's floated corner was met by the totally unmarked Melia who found the bottom corner with a downward header.
Melia then showed his brilliance with a real poacher's goal on the hour.
Sligo lost the ball cheaply with Kavanagh threading it through for Melia.
Accelerating past Denham, Melia nonchalantly rolled the ball with his studd by Sargeant before casually side-footing to the net for his ninth league goal of the season.
St Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Anang; Axel Sjoberg, Joe Redmond, Luke Turner, Jay McClelland; Jamie Lennon (Barry Baggley h-t), Chris Forrester (Darren Robinson 79); Jake Mulraney (Kian Leavy 79), Brandon Kavanagh, Simon Power (Jordan Garrick 71); Mason Melia (Conor Carty 71).
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Sebastian Quirk, Ollie Denham, Paddy McClean, Sean Stewart; Ciaron Harkin (Matt Wolfe 65), James McManus; Will Fitzgerald; Owen Elding (Ronan Manning 80), Ryan O'Kane; Wilson Waweru (Cian Kavanagh h-t).
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