Shelbourne came away from Turner's Cross with a St Patrick's Day victory as they beat Cork City 2-0 in front of over 5,000 fans.

The visitors took just ten minutes to get the vital breakthrough in this mid-table clash.

The Tolka Reds had the benefit of a Josh Holohan headed own goal from Kian Leavy’s cross in an open and attacking start to the action.

Barry Coffey’s response was to fire in low but Conor Kearns saved easily at the Shed End.

Shels almost snatched the lead after just seven minutes when wide man John Wilson clipped the bar at the St Anne’s end as the action ebbed and flowed on a muddy surface.

International team-mates, Colin Healy and Damien Duff, were in opposite dugouts with Duffer the happier manager at the interval.

Jimmy Corcoran and Matt Healy, both named in the Republic of Ireland U-21 squad to face Iceland back at Turner’s Cross tomorrow week, were in the home team.

Shels, with Shane Griffin back after injury, went with a 3-5-2 set-up and they were very hard to break down.

City were missing midfielder Aaron Bolger because of concussion protocols but he should be back for the visit of Drogheda United after the international break.

Cork, top scorers in the division with ten goals in their last three fixtures, were stunned to see Shels take such an early lead but there could be no arguing that the visitors were the better team in the opening 45 minutes.

They controlled the play, were on the offensive from the off and were well organised and combative in defence.

The second half was a mere five minutes old when striker Jack Moylan netted the insurance goal with a superb low effort that flew past Corcoran into the bottom corner.

City had claims for a penalty on 53 minutes when Ruairi Keating went down under Luke Byrne’s heavy challenge, but referee Ray Matthews waved play on.

Shelbourne continued to hold the upper hand going into the last quarter and they denied the home team with some stubborn defence to see the game out and ease themselves up to fifth in the Premier Division table.

On the evidence of this result, it appears Cork City’s away form is better than their home form at the moment.

Cork City: Corcoran; Hakkenen, Gilchrist, Holohan; Crowley, Coleman (capt), Healy (Krezic 55), Coffey (O’Brien-Whitmarsh 80), Bargary (Walker 80); Varian (Owolabi 73), Keating.

Shelbourne: Kearns; Griffin (Ledwidge 76 mins), Byrne (capt), Molloy; T. Wilson, Leavy (Robinson 65), Caffrey, Farrell (McManus 12), J. Wilson; Smith, Moylan.

Referee: Ray Matthews (Mullingar)

Attendance: 5,078