St Patrick's Athletic 6 Galway United 1:PETE MAHON believes champions Shamrock Rovers' visit to Richmond Park next Monday should define the season for St Patrick's Athletic as they consolidated fourth place on Saturday night.

With eight games to play, they are six points behind leaders Rovers, who have a game in hand, though just four points behind second-placed Derry City.

“I’m happy enough we got three points and we improved our goal difference,” said Mahon. “I reckon that game (Rovers) will determine our season. Maybe not for Shamrock Rovers, but it will for us.”

Seán O’Connor and Danny North both scored twice as Galway suffered a 22nd consecutive league defeat. O’Connor slid home the opener on 80 seconds after North and Daryl Kavanagh combined. A harsh handball decision against Korean defender Yob Son allowed Stephen Bradley double that from a penalty on 14 minutes.

North added a third with a volley on 37 minutes and then pulled the ball back from the end line for O’Connor to rifle his second to the net off the crossbar five minutes later. North extended the St Patrick’s lead with his second on 76 minutes. Substitute Paul Crowley added a sixth on 80 minutes before Galway’s Paul Sinnott hit a consolation.

Galway manager Seán Connor confirmed after the game his assistant Gareth Gorman was told last week he was no longer welcome at the club, apparently for comments he made in an interview in a local newspaper.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Pender, McMillan, Kenna, Bermingham; O'Connor, McFaul, Bradley (Crowley 78 mins.), Doyle (D McMillan half-time); Kavanagh (Stewart half-time), North.

GALWAY UNITED:Winn; Sinnott, Son, Browne, Holland; Kim (Sibanda 56 mins), Murphy, G Kelly, Walsh; Ryan, Cauldwell (Eduardo 65 mins).

Referee: Graham Kelly(Cork).