Cork City 3
Derry City 0
Cork City continued to keep the pressure on Dundalk at the top with an emphatic win over Derry City at Turner's Cross. John O'Flynn gave the home team the lead and Karl Sheppard added a brace to ensure three points for John Caulfield's side.

With 5,104 supporters packed into the Curragh Road venue and a roaring wind at their back, Cork enjoyed an edge over their opponents in the first half and they made it count with a quarter of an hour on the clock when John O’Flynn prodded home.

Harried

Ross Gaynor harried his way into the Derry box, stealing the ball off Shaun Kelly before sending the ball into the path of O'Flynn who finished.

Cork doubled their lead shortly before half-time following a Billy Dennehy corner when Sheppard stuck his foot out to send Darren Dennehy's knocked-down header beyond the reach of Ger Doherty.

Derry attempted to find a way back into the game but Cork’s defence was resolute and chances were limited to long-range efforts.

Not content to rest on their laurels with a two-goal cushion, John Caulfield's side continued to probe in search of goals and were rewarded on 69 minutes when Sheppard met Garry Buckley's fizzed cross into the box. The former Reading and Shamrock Rovers striker's volley left Doherty with no chance.

Derry could have had a late consolation when Patrick McEleney sent an shot towards goal only to see it crash frustratingly off the cross-bar.

CORK CITY: McNulty, Kavanagh, Bennett, Dunleavy, D Dennehy, O'Flynn (Morrissey 83), Gaynor, Sheppard, B Dennehy (Djilali 83), Miller, Buckley (Holohan 88).

DERRY CITY: Doherty, Kelly, McBride, Barry, S. McEleney, Clucas (Morrison 67), McNamee, Lowry, Elding (Curran 77), P McEleney, Timlin (Timlin 82).

Referee: Robert Harvey.