Cork City 2
Shamrock Rovers 0
CORK CITY MOVED up to third in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division as first-half goals from Steven Beattie and Karl Sheppard saw them ease past the challenge of Shamrock Rovers at Turner’s Cross.
Having taken 90 seconds to score the lead goal against Finn Harps on Friday, the home team needed even less time here as Greg Bolger found Steven Beattie before a Rovers player had even touched the ball, his shot crossing the line on the 26-second mark.
With Rovers’ rhythm upset as they lost Luke Byrne – playing his first league game of the season – to a nasty knee injury, City pushed on and Sheppard doubled the lead on 25, his low shot from Michael McSweeney’s cross nestling in the corner.
Sheppard might have had another soon after from a corner, but Rovers captain Patrick Cregg cleared off the line, though there was more than a question of handball.
Beattie also went close to getting a third, but City were comfortable at half-time and, though Rovers were better in the second half, they didn’t offer much in attack, with debutant Trevor Clarke having a half-chance which went across goal and wide.
At the other end, Sheppard, Beattie and Seán Maguire went close for City, but they had done the hard work.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeney, Alan Bennett, John Dunleavy, Kevin O’Connor; Greg Bolger, Gearóid Morrissey; Steven Beattie, Garry Buckley, Karl Sheppard (Danny Morrissey 89); Seán Maguire.
Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, David Webster, Maxime Blanchard, Luke Byrne (Gareth McCaffrey 10); Patrick Cregg, Killian Brennan; Gavin Brennan, Brandon Miele, Trevor Clarke; Dean Clarke (Danny North 80).
Referee: J McKell (Tipperary).
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