Champions St Patrick's Athletic got back on track in their hunt to retain the SSE Airtricity League title with a resounding 4 - 0 win at Drogheda United.
That tally included a 40-yard wonder goal by Chris Forrester, who would score a brace, while Lee Lynch and Conan Byrne also found the net.
Their Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers also took all three points by beating Bray Wanderers 2 - 1 at Tallaght Stadium.
A Gary McCabe penalty and Sean Heaney put Rovers in control before David Scully halved the deficit from the spot.
Cork City stay top after Billy Dennehy's goal secured a 1 - 0 win at UCD.
In-form Dundalk also kept their title push on the road but the Lilywhites needed a late Richie Towell penalty to get past Athlone Town by a narrow 1 - 0 scoreline.
Late goals also helped Sligo Rovers as they registered a 2 - 0 win at Bohemians. Evan McMillan and Danny North scored in the last quarter hour of the game to edge the Bit o' Red into the top half of the table.
In the other game of the day, Derry City and Limerick played out a 0 - 0 draw at the Brandywell.
