Cork City 3 Shamrock Rovers 0Cork City threatened to overwhelm Shamrock Rovers with the power and pace of their football before 5,500 spectators at Turner's Cross, last night. In the end Cork had to settle for a three-goal winning margin as a defiant Rovers fought mightily to contain them. But the scoreline scarcely reflected the level of Cork's superiority.

Cork's win helped them extend their unbeaten run in the Premier Division to 12 matches. In the opening 20 minutes they should have put the game beyond Rovers as John O'Flynn shot carelessly wide from 20 yards and it needed an outstanding save from Barry Murphy to keep out a header from George O'Callaghan in the 17th minute. Cork's only return arrived after five minutes when Joe Gamble headed into the roof of the net.

O'Callaghan lost a chance to make their position safe when Cork were awarded a penaltly in the 30th minute. Jason Gavin handled a shot from Gamble but O'Callaghan hit the crossbar from the spot.

Rovers enjoyed their best spell in the first 20 minutes of the second half and were unlucky not to draw level in the 54th minute as Pat McCourt powered a shot against the crossbar.

Cork made the points secure after 64 minutes through a volley from O'Flynn. They added a third after 79 minutes when Keith Doyle could not avoid deflecting the ball into the net under the challenge of substitute Neale Fenn.

CORK CITY: McNulty, Horgan, Bennett, Murray, Murphy, O'Brien, Gamble, O'Halloran, Kearney, O'Callaghan, O'Flynn. Subs: Fenn for O'Halloran (57 mins); Woods for Kearney (85 mins); Behan for O'Flynn (88 mins).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy, Gough, Gavin, McGuinness, Doyle, McDonnell, Treacy, McCourt, Rutherford, Mooney, Manley. Subs: Daniel for Gough (78 mins); Dawson for McGuinness (82 mins); Ryan for Treacy (82 mins).

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).