Exiles forwards David Paice and Luke Narraway both picked up yellow cards in the first half on Saturday and the hosts took full advantage to lead 22-3 at the break.

There was to be no second-half comeback from Irish at the AJ Bell Stadium as they slumped to a fifth loss in seven Aviva Premiership games to leave them two places above the bottom of the table.

The result was a painful one for Exiles director of rugby Brian Smith, who admitted: “I thought Sale were good, they brought a lot of intensity to the contest. We feel that we were a bit out-muscled and out-hustled.

“The back end of the first half, those 20 minutes where they nailed us at scrum-time and put the ball into the corner, they really screwed us then.

“With 13 players on the park, they made that count and that was the contest really.

“We’ve got to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off. We’ve been given a bit of a hiding and there are plenty of lessons to learn.”

It had started so well for Irish who took the lead through a first-minute Chris Noakes penalty after Sharks infringed at a maul.

But it was downhill for the visitors from there as Sale began to dominate territory and possession.

They mounted an immediate response when Danny Cipriani turned down a probable three points to kick for the corner.

From the lineout drive, Michael Paterson sent David Seymour crashing over the line for the game’s first try.

Cipriani slotted the conversion and then made it 10-3 with his second penalty after the former England man and Noakes had both missed a shot at the posts.

Then Irish received their first yellow card to Paice for a mistake at the breakdown.

And Sale made the most of their extra man when Dan Braid was driven over the line from a rolling maul.

Smith’s men had no answer to Sale’s dominance up front and a penalty try soon followed as the Exiles’ pack began to fall apart in their attempt to stop another rolling maul.

Cipriani added the extras to take his personal tally to 11 points and leave Irish with a mountain to climb.

To make matters worse, referee Matthew Carley sent Narraway to the sinbin to reduce the visitors to 13 men for the start of the second half.

Exiles then conceded their second penalty try of the game after their forwards were hammered at a scrum as Sale secured their bonus-point score, which Cipriani converted.

Exiles, however, did fight back during a brief spell after the break when they were on top and George Skivington was driven over for an unconverted try.

But that was as good as it got for the visitors as Sale had the last word when Andy Forsyth dabbed down under the posts in the latter stages.

He had been set up by replacement fly-half Nick MacLeod, who landed the conversion to round off an impressive win for the Sharks.

Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond beamed: “That was the Sale we know and that’s what we want to see week in, week out.”

Exiles hope to bounce back this Saturday when they host Bath at Madejski Stadium (3pm ko).

Sale Sharks: Haley, Brady, Jennings, Tuitupou, Arscott, Cipriani, Cliff; Lewis-Roberts, Jones, Cobilas, Mills, Paterson, Braid (c), Seymour, Beaumont. Reps: Neild, Flynn, Harrison, Lund, Easter, Fowles, Macleod, Forsyth.

London Irish: Fenby, Lewington, Mulchrone, Griffin, Ojo, Noakes, Allinson, Court, Paice, Aulika, Skivington (c), Cox, Low, Narraway, Guest. Reps: Stevens, Hagan, Halavatau, Lyons, Curry, Steele, Dorrian, Short. Sin-bin: Paice (34), Narraway (40)

Att: 4,753

Referee: Matthew Carley.