O'Callaghan crowns City win

Shamrock Rovers 1 Cork City 3

But the match was marred almost on full time, as referee Ian Stokes was forced to separate a crowd of players and send off City’s Danny Murphy and Rovers’ Cathal O’Connor.

Coming off the back of their surprise win at The Brandywell, Roddy Collins’ men had looked to extend their mini-revival. For their part, Cork City wanted to bounce back from defeat at home to Drogheda and maintain their excellent away form under former Rovers man Damien Richardson.

It was Rovers who almost drew first blood. Pat McCourt, the two-goal hero against Derry, weaved his way forward from midfield and split the Cork defence with a perfect pass to put in David Mooney. But Cork keeper Michael Devine, who had passed a late fitness test, got out smartly to deflect the striker’s effort away for a corner.

By contrast, the injury-plagued John O’Flynn was a late withdrawal from the City squad but even with the in-form Denis Behan supported by Kevin Doyle up front, in the first half the visitors struggled to create a clear-cut opening.

In the 33rd minute, Rovers lost Willo McDonagh after he appeared to twist an ankle - Paul Caffrey coming on in his place - and then, as City began to get on top, Behan spurned a great chance to give them the lead when, unmarked at the edge of the six yard box, he headed over from O’Callaghan’s corner.

As the game belatedly exploded into life, it was Rovers who should have taken the lead before the break. Mark Rutherford’s great run into the box took out Michael Devine but, when the ball ran onto David Mooney, his point-blank shot was brilliantly blocked on the line by Alan Bennett.

In a two-minute spell shortly after the restart, City simply put them to the sword. First, George O’ Callaghan powerfully headed home Liam Kearney’s corner and then, in the 52nd minute, Kevin Doyle capped a superb mazy solo run by beating Payne with a low drive from the edge of the box.

With Molloy and especially McCourt to the fore, Rovers fought back bravely and they deservedly reduced the arrears in the 73rd minute, when Gavin McDonnell met Cathal O’Connor’s angled free from the right and headed in off the underside of the crossbar.

Unhappily, Michael Devine had to clear an object thrown onto the pitch from the Rovers end, and an ugly edge crept into the game. With six minutes left, McCourt almost capitalised on hesitancy by Alan Bennett but could only spoon the ball over from six yards out. Two minutes later, George O’Callaghan showed how it should be done, skipping in from the right before unleashing a stunning left-footed shot from 25 yards which flew in off Russell Payne’s left-hand post.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Payne, O’ Connor, Gough, Gavin, McDonagh (Caffrey 33), Phillips, McCourt, Rutherford (Daniel 84), McDonnell, Molloy, Mooney (Cameron 73)

CORK CITY: Devine, Murphy, Bennett, Murray, O’ Brien, O Callaghan, Woods, Doyle (O’ Donovan 80), Behan, Horgan, Kearney.

Referee: Ian Stokes.