Cork City extended their unbeaten run at start of the new SSE Airtricity League season to 16 games as defeated Shamrock Rovers at Turners Cross.
Goals from Gearoid Morrissey, Johnny Dunleavy and a Ryan Delaney brace allowed the Leesiders to overturn Trevor Clarke’s exceptional opener and maintain their 15 point lead over Dundalk in the title race.
City made just one change to the side that come from behind to defeat Sligo Rovers last Monday night with Morrissey returning to the starting eleven in place of Alan Bennett, who pulled out due to a hamstring injury.
And it was the hosts who had the first genuine attempt on goal when Kevin O’Connor’s corner was headed over at the near post by Ryan Delaney.
Shamrock Rovers made two changes to the defence that kept a clean sheet in the win against Galway United last time out.
Roberto Lopes replaced Daniel Devine and most notably, Kevin Horgan was handed his first start of the season in goal, coming in for Tomer Chencinski, who had a difficult game the last time the two sides met.
But it was the Rovers attack that made all the difference as Trevor Clarke fired his side into the lead after 16 minutes with a stunning effort.
After Graham Burke’s neat lay off found Clarke, the winger set off on a charging run from right to left, bursting into the penalty area before driving an unstoppable shot off the underside of the bar and into the net.
The League Leaders responded well to that set back and ought to have levelled just shy of the half an hour mark.
An unfortunate slip from defender Roberto Lopes allowed Sean Maguire to race onto Jimmy Keohane’s hopeful ball but normally lethal front man could only fire wide of the near post when through on goal.
But on the stroke of half time, City eventually forced the leveller that they had been threatening when Greg Bolger’s excellent free from left allowed Delaney, to head in home from a few yards.
City’s hopes were boosted early in the second half when Rovers where reduced to ten men following David McAllister’s late challenge on Sean Maguire.
Gearoid Morrissey made the extra man advantage count when he thumped a brilliant effort into the top left corner from all of 25 yards.
The Rebel’s turned the game into a rout when Ryan Delaney and Johnny Dunleavy both added headers late on as the ten-men of Rovers began to visibly tire, having chased the game for all of the second half.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Jimmy Keohane, John Dunleavy, Ryan Delaney, Kevin O’Connor (Shane Griffin 70); Conor McCormack, Gearoid Morrissey; Karl Sheppard (John Kavanagh 90), Greg Bolger (Achille Campion 61), Stephen Dooley; Seán Maguire.
Shamrock Rovers: Kevin Horgan; Simon Madden, Roberto Lopes, David Webster, Luke Byrne; Ronan Finn, David McAllister; Trevor Clarke (Darren Meenan 86), Graham Burke (Ryan Connlly 50), Brandon Miele; Gary Shaw (Michael O’Connor 83).
Referee: James McKell (Tipperary).
