Dundalk were the last team to beat St. Pat's back in early April and this third win on the spin moves Stephen Kenny's side up to third place in the table overnight.

Ironically, after boss Liam Buckley had commented on his side's good disciplinary record this season prior to the game, St. Pat's midfielder Killian Brennan, named Player of the Month just the day before, was shown a straight red card on 33 minutes for a bad challenge on Darren Meenan.

Undeterred, Christy Fagan put 10-man St. Pat's ahead on 59 minutes when Dundalk 'keeper Peter Cherrie could only parry a cross from Greg Bolger to allow Fagan tap home.

But Dundalk came back strongly, levelling on 69 minutes courtesy of Kurtis Byrne.

Byrne then blew the chance to give Dundalk the lead five minutes later when his tame penalty was comfortably saved by Brendan Clarke.

A mistake from Clarke, however, gifted Dundalk their winner on 82 minutes. John Sullivan rifled in a low shot following a Richie Towell free-kick and Clarke allowed the ball to squirm over the line at his near post.

Rory Patterson scored twice as Derry City beat Bray Wanderers 3-2 at the Carlisle Grounds to close the gap on St. Pat's at the top to just three points.

Paddy McEleney tapped home the lead goal for Derry on 14 minutes. But Bray hit back to level ten minutes before the break when Ismahil Akinade headed home a Marty Waters corner.

But Patterson got his first to restore Derry's lead in first half stoppage time. Six minutes into the second half Patterson was there again to fire home his second - and 14th of the league season - from a Paddy Kavanagh cross.

Bray made a fight of it with midfielder Dean Zambra getting a goal back six minutes later, but Derry held out.

Dean Kelly scored twice to give bottom-of-the-table Shelbourne a much needed boost as they beat Bohemians 3-0 at Dalymount Park to record their biggest - and only their second - win of the season.

Sean Brennan burst through to score a fine solo goal to give Shels a sixth minute lead.

Bohs then had right-back Derek Pender sent off for a bad tackle on Darren Tinnelly on 32 minutes before falling further behind two minutes later.

Gypsies' skipper Owen Heary allowed a cross from Brennan to bounce past him and gift Kelly his first with a close range header.

Kelly raced clear onto a Philly Hughes pass to get Shels' third goal eight minutes into the second half. Bohs might have got a goal back but for a good save by Naill Burdon from Chris Lyons' 79th minute penalty.

A Karl Sheppard goal helped Shamrock Rovers maintained their revival with a 1-0 win over Limerick at Tallaght Stadium as the visitors finished with ten men.

Sheppard struck on the half hour when nipping to the near post to flick home a James Chambers corner.

Limerick had substitute Jeffrey Judge sent off in stoppage time following a challenge on Stephen Rice.

Cork City finally got some home comfort as they beat Drogheda United 1-0 at Turner's Cross to end a run of four successive home defeats.

Daryl Horgan got the only goal of the game came on 69 minutes, shooting home after a terrific dribble.