Will Jarvis scored his first goal for Shelbourne to deliver a third successive win for Damien Duff's side as their quest for Europe gathers pace.
Stretching their unbeaten league run to nine games moves Shelbourne up to fourth place in the table, their highest placing since Duff took charge last year, ahead of a trip to Bohemians on Monday night.
Defeat means Cork slip nine points from safety in the relegation play-off place.
Brimful of confidence amid their best form of the season, Shelbourne started on the front foot, Harry Wood working Ollie Byrne in the City goal from distance on six minutes.
Josh Honohan then got his body in the way to block a drive from Gavin Molloy from Wood’s free kick with Cork frantically clearing the loose ball.
City continued to live dangerously at the back, Jonas Hakkinen blocking a JJ Lunney drive from a Wood corner.
The visitors came alive at the other end for the first time on 22 minutes. Conor Drinan had a free kick strike the defensive wall before Malik Dijksteel’s follow-up shot was deflected out for a corner off Paddy Barrett.
But it was their failure to fully defend a corner back in their own area that saw Cork fall behind on 28 minutes.
Though his corner was headed partially clear, the ball was worked back to the influential Wood. The cross bounced awkwardly off Cork captain Cian Coleman with Jack Moylan picking up the loose ball to show clever feet and find the bottom corner for his ninth league goal of the season.
The lead lasted just six minutes as Cork levelled from the penalty spot.
Euclides Cabral gave the ball away to give Ben Worman a run down the left. Barrett leaned in to try to chest the cross, but it struck the defender’s upper arm with referee David Dunne pointing to the spot. Ruairi Keating drove home emphatically from 12 yards for his 12th goal of the campaign.
A sliding doors moment restored Shelbourne’s lead in the second minute of added time at the end of the half.
Dijksteel’s heavy touch saw the ball run through for Conor Kearns when the Dutchman was clear on goal.
The goalkeeper’s quick throw found Wood, who threaded a fine pass in behind Hakkinen for the run of fellow Hull City loanee Jarvis and his flicked shot found the far corner with a slight deflection off Coleman.
Cork remained very much a threat through Keating, who brought a big save from Kearns five minutes into the second half having been played through down the inside-left channel by Andrii Kravchuk.
Minutes later, the Ukrainian midfielder delivered an arced cross which found Coleman but his header was straight at Kearns as another real chance was missed.
In an open game now, Moylan was guilty of not extending Shelbourne’s lead when he skilfully carved an opening only to shoot straight at Byrne.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Euclides Da Silva Cabral (Tyreke Wilson 57), Paddy Barrett (Andy Quinn h-t), Gavin Molloy, Shane Griffin; Mark Coyle, JJ Lunney (Brian McManus 88);, Shane Farrell (Evan Caffrey 72), Harry Wood, Will Jarvis (John Ross Wilson 88); Jack Moylan.
Cork City: Ollie Byrne; Jonas Hakkinen, Cian Coleman, Josh Honohan (Gordon Walker 81), Conor Drinan; Aaron Bolger, Andrii Kravchuk; Cian Bargary, Ben Worman (Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh 81), Malik Dijksteel; Ruairi Keating.
Referee: David Dunne (Dublin)
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