City's title hopes suffer major blow

St. Patrick's Athletic 4 Cork City 1

St. Pat's got their title challenge back on track as City's aspiration were called into question after this bad defeat.

Saints had the better of a frantic start and were good value for their 2-0 interval lead.

Ger McCarhty hit the opener on 35 minutes when lobbing Michael Devine after a super Martin Russell ball put him through on goal.

Mbabazi hit the second on 45 minutes when Devine failed to hold his stinging shot and the ball squirmed into the net.

Bird drilled home the third goal on 50 minutes before City had defender Greg O'Halloran sent off for a foul on Mbabazi on 59 minutes

Mbabazi then added his second of the night one minute later.

George O'Callaghan got City's goal from a 76th minute free-kick.