First-half goals from Patrick McClean, Gerardo Bruna and Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe blitzed 10-man St Pat’s at Richmond Park.
The fourth straight league win for the in-form Candystripes moves them up to second and sets up nicely Friday’s top-of-the-table clash when Shamrock Rovers visit the Brandywell.
Derry stormed into a second minute lead when left-back McClean’s shot from distance squirmed under Brendan Clarke into the net.
Argentinian Bruna doubled the visitors’ lead on 18 minutes, whipping his free-kick up and over the wall and into the bottom left corner.
It got worse for St Pat’s a minute later when defender Kevin Toner recklessly lunged into Derry skipper Ciaron Harkin to be shown a straight red card.
Derry then extended their lead on the half hour.
Darren Cole’s flighted cross found Ogedi-Uzokwe who swept home his first league goal for the club.
St Pat’s got a goal back within two minutes, Gary Shaw meeting a Simon Madden cross to glance a diving header past Derry keeper Peter Cherrie.
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