Cork City 2 Shamrock Rovers 0: The dismissal of Shamrock Rovers' full-back Trevor Croly for a second yellow-card offence 10 minutes into the second half was the decisive incident in this Premier division tie at Turner's Cross on Saturday night. Croly pulled down Kevin Doyle in the 55th minute on the edge of the penalty area.
Rovers found it difficult to cope with a more energetic Cork side who took encouragement from the application of Doyle at centre forward, in the absence of the injured John O'Flynn.
Doyle and George O'Callaghan helped Cork take advantage of their numerical superiority by scoring two goals in three minutes.
O'Callaghan provided the cross that enabled midfielder Kevin Murray to score his first goal at senior level with a diving header in the 66th minute. O'Callaghan provided the highlight of the game when he volleyed his sixth league goal of the season from 15 yards from Doyle's cross.
CORK CITY: Devine; Horgan, Coughlan, D Murray, Woods; CT O'Brien, K. Murray, O'Halloran (Bennett 85), Kearney; Kevin Doyle, O'Callaghan.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Ryan; Croly, Palmer, McGuinness, Keith Doyle (Haylock 85); T. Grant, Boughanem (Reynolds 69), Colwell, Keddy; Molloy, Fitzpatrick (Gough 56).
Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).
