Cork City strengthened their lead at the top of the table with a devastating display at the Showgrounds.
Graham Cummins hit a hat-trick and won a penalty converted by Kieran Sadlier, as the Rebels proved too strong for a Sligo side that finished with ten men.
In front of 1,842, Cork netted twice in scintillating opening 11 minutes. And when Rovers gifted them a third at the start of the second half, it rendered Adam Morgan’s penalty for the Bit O’ Red as mere consolation.
Shane Griffin’s Crossfield on three minutes free picked out Karl Sheppard, who had two bites of the cherry before crossing for Cummins to nod home at the near post.
The visitors were then awarded an 11th minute spot-kick when Cummins went to ground under the challenge from Seamus Sharkey, and Sadlier finished brilliantly.
Rovers replaced Sharkey with youngster Calum Waters at the break, switching Patrick McClean to centre-back, with Waters making his debut at left full-back.
But Rovers were 3-0 down before he got his first touch, as Beeney rolled a ball out to Kyle Callan-McFadden, whose attempted return ball was seized upon by Cummins for his second.
David Cawley did well to win possession in midfield on the hour-mark and Rovers worked the ball through to Caolan McAleer, who was tripped by Steven Beattie in the area, and Morgan dispatched the spot-kick.
But their misery was compounded when Rhys McCabe was sent-off in the closing stages, seemingly shown a straight red card for dissent towards a linesman.
Almost straight after, Shane Griffin attacked down the left and fed Cummins to tap home his hat-trick.
Cork boss John Caulfield spoke to Ocean FM’s Darragh Cox after the game…
SLIGO: Beeney, Boylan, Callan-McFadden, Sharkey (Waters HT), McClean, Roddan (Wixted 65), Cawley, McCabe, McAleer, Roy (Moorhouse 71), Morgan.
CORK: McNulty, Beattie (Horgan 65), Bennett, Barry, Griffin, Morrissey, McNamee (Buckley 80), McCormack, Sadlier (Keohane 71), Sheppard, Cummins.
REF: D Tomney.
