Burnley fell to their first home defeat in almost three months as Coventry turned party-poopers at Turf Moor.
Maltese international Michael Mifsud gave City the lead before half time with a crisp drive.
Jay Tabb doubled the visitors' lead nine minutes after the restart with another slide-rule finish.
Second half sub Paul McVeigh offered up hope of a revival just after the hour with his third goal of a productive loan spell with the Clarets.
But that could not stop the Clarets from losing at home for the first time since Leicester won here on February 20.
For the final game of a topsy-turvy season, Burnley made three changes to the side that lost out narrowly in the dramatic game at Sunderland.
Alan Mahon, Joey Gudjonsson and Ade Akinbiyi were restored to the starting line up, in place of Chris McCann, Steve Jones and McVeigh.
There was a definite end of season atmosphere around Turf Moor, with both sides looking purely to improve their league standing on a day when all eyes were on the wide open play off fight.
There was little to cheer in the opening quarter of the game either. Wayne Thomas headed wide from an early corner in the only opening created at either end.
Gudjonsson's terrific block denied Isaac Osbourne on the half hour as the Sky Blues midfielder went for goal with a thunderous free kick from distance in the visitors' first attempt of the afternoon.
Coventry took the lead in the 40th minute. Michael Mifsud scored at the second attempt after initially being forced wide, then swapping passes with Michael Doyle and finding the bottom corner with an accurate low drive.
Akinbiyi spurned a good chance to restore parity right on half time, latching onto Eric Djemba-Djemba's superb ball over the top, but firing across goal and wide form just inside the area.
That was Ade's last contribution as half time saw two changes. The striker made way for McVeigh, with Steve Jones introduced for Alan Mahon.
It was City who looked to step up their advantage after the break however. Mifsud twisted and turned to create room, but this time Brian Jensen was equal to his low, drilled shot.
Player of the Year Wade Elliott soon fired over as the Clarets tried to get a foothold in the game.
But they suffered a further blow in the 54th minute when Jay Tabb doubled the Sky Blues' advantage.
Mifsud was clearly in an offside, but ruled not to be interfering as Tabb raced onto Kevin Thornton's pass and found the bottom corner.
McVeigh pounced to half the arrears just after the hour mark, latching onto a mistake from Osbourne and coolly slotting the ball home under pressure from keeper Andy Marshall and the backtracking Elliott Ward.
But Wayne Thomas somehow headed over a gaping goal in the 88th minute as the Clarets could not conjure up an equaliser to end the season seven games unbeaten at home.
Burnley: Jensen, Harley, Thomas, Caldwell, Duff, Mahon (Jones 46), Djemba-Djemba, Gudjonsson (Spicer 75), Elliott, Akinbiyi (McVeigh 46), Gray
Subs: Coyne, Coughlan
Booked: Elliott 83, Caldwell 86
Coventry: Marshall, Hall, Ward, Doyle, Osbourne, Mifsud, Kyle, McNamee, Hawkins, Tabb (Hildreth 90), Thornton (Davis 68)
Subs: Steele, Hughes, Gooding
Ref: P Joslin
Att: 12,830
