NATIONAL LEAGUE - St Patrick's Ath 3 Derry City 0: Off the field of play St Patrick's Athletic may be having massive problems but they put them to one side last night as they comprehensively defeated Derry City at Richmond Park.

All three goals came in the second half. Paul Osam scored the first after 57 minutes with a stunning 25-yard strike, Darragh Maguire headed the second in the 69th minute and Michael Holt added the third goal in stoppage time.

However, St Patrick's are once again in the dock over another unregistered player. On this occasion the man at the centre of the allegations is their top goalscorer Mbabazi Charles Livingstone who is alleged to have not been properly registered for five games back in September.

The Inchicore club have just survived scrutiny from the so-called Paul Marney affair.

They were originally docked nine points for that unregistered player. However, they successfully appealed and got the nine points back.

Now the latest revelations have surfaced and have been revealed by Shelbourne's chief executive Ollie Byrne.

The Shelbourne official made his findings to Eircom League commissioner Roy Dooney yesterday.

Dooney admitted in a statement: "An irregularity was discovered in the registration form of one player registered with St Patrick's. They have drawn this matter to the attention of the president, Mr Tim O'Flaherty and managing director, Mr Pat Dolan, who I met and asked them to investigate it as a matter of urgency and provide me with certain information. As soon as a response is received from St Patrick's a further statement will be issued."

However, St Patrick's deserved their victory last night with the pick of the goals Osam's stunning 25-yard effort to the top corner. Derry could have levelled twice within minutes but Tommy McCallion and Liam Coyle failed to convert.

The visitors were made to pay for those misses in the 68th minute when Maguire headed home a Martin Russell corner. Substitute Holt drove home the third in the 92nd minute.

But everything is really likely to revolve around the off-field problems surrounding the improper registration of Livingstone.

ST PATRICKS ATHLETIC: Kelly, Burke, Maguire, Foley, Osam, Crolly, McCarthy, Griffin, Russell, Livingstone, Marney. Subs: Holt for Marney (53 mins); Kelly for Livingstone (84 mins).

DERRY CITY: Payne, E McCallion, Hargan, Kelly, McLoughlin, Doherty, Phillips, McGlynn, Hughes, T McCallion, Beckett. Subs: Coyle for McGlynn (31 mins); McCall for Hughes (69 mins); McCreadie for Phillips (70 mins).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork)