Derry City leave St Patrick's Athletic reeling at Richmond Park

There are statements of intent and there is this demolition of one supposed title challenger by another in front of the latter's own crowd, another large if sullen one, by the Camac. What seemed a 50-50 game became a massacre by the interval as City, league leaders, made a total mess of Saint Patrick's Athletic before a shellshocked audience in Inchicore, the visiting fans realising they were watching perhaps the best Derry City side there has been. A three-goal lead at the break flattered Pat's. "Half time. The score doesn't lie," posted Saints' Twitter account. It would get worse. The game was long over.

Shamrock Rovers look very hard to dislodge as champions but no performance so far this season matched that of the Candystripes on a lovely night in Dublin 8.

Matty Smith made a mockery of his self-admitted worries that he hadn't scored yet for Derry by netting a fifth-minute opener that preceded two Jamie McGonigle goals before the break that made him hot favourite to finish top scorer this season, while Eoin Doyle at the other end – who netted for fun in England – cut a struggling figure. The game's most outstanding player, Cameron Dummigan, made it four.

Far from Doyle being the only laboured marquee Saint, Chris Forrester was also lost, the hosts befitting a confident five-a-side team in an Astro tournament who met cocky outsiders they expected to be good, but nothing like this. It was a bloodbath. Derry have stumbled on playing Dummigan in midfield; it could be the making of them – it certainly is of him.

Patrick McEleney was the player he always promised to be when injuries are not an irritant. Saints need new blood to even ensure a place in Europe next season on this evidence. Tim Clancy's men were behind on just