Sean Maguire brace stretches Cork’s lead at the top

Shamrock Rovers 1 Cork City 2

Hot shot Sean Maguire with his seventh and eighth goals of the season eased Cork City six points clear at the top of the Premier Division with a lucky 2-1 away win over Shamrock Rovers at a wet and windy Tallaght Stadium.

City made two changes with Gearoid Morrissey coming back in for the injured Greg Bolger (ankle) and Stephen Dooley recovered from a groin strain to play in midfield with ex-Hoop Karl Sheppard dropping to the bench.

Rovers, for their part, made one change with midfielder Graham Burke back from suspension and in for the injured Brandon Miele.

Maguire opened the scoring after just seven minutes before Rovers made it 1-1 on 33 minutes when Graham Burke scored from a spot kick after ex-Rovers player Conor McCormack handled as Gary Shaw tried an overhead kick on the end of Darren Meenan’s floated cross.

Burke crashed the ball off the bar from Meenan’s free kick with eight minutes to go before Maguire hit an 86th minute winner from the spot after he was fouled by Daniel Devine in the box.

Shamrock Rovers (4-1-4-1) – Chencinski; Madden, Webster, Devine, Clarke; Finn (capt), Connolly (Doona 80), McAllister, Burke, Meenan; Shaw (Boyd 73).

Subs. Lopes, O’Connor, Heaney, Bone & Horgan (not used)

Cork City (4-2-3-1) – McNulty; McCormack, Dunleavy (capt) (Bennett 70), Delaney, O’Connor; Morrissey, Buckley; Beattie (Sheppard 61), Keohane, Dooley (Ellis 76); Maguire.

Subs. Campion, Nanetti, Griffin & Smith (not used)

Referee: Jim McKell (Tipperary)

Estimated attendance: 3,000.