Drogheda United 1 Cork City 3: Cork City ensured that the race for the National League Premier Division title would go down to the wire on the final weekend of the season when they easily accounted for a disappointing Drogheda side who fell to their sixth successive home defeat of the season.
The Leesiders were two goals to one to the good at the break and sealed their win with a third just beyond the quarter hour mark in the second half.
Cork dominated the opening exchanged with the busy Liam Kearney twice going close to opening City's account. The visitors hit the front with 17 minutes gone when John O'Flynn burst through the centre of the Drogheda defence to slot the ball past Gary Rodgers.
Cork's dominance continued as O'Flynn, Kearney and O'Callaghan had opportunities to extend Cork's lead. Somewhat against the run of play United levelled nine minutes from half-time when Andy Myler put Mark Rooney away in the middle.
The young striker left defender Dan Murray for dead to hammer the ball past Michael Devine in the City goal.
The home side's joy lasted barely three minutes as once again the centre of their defence imploded. Irish under-21 international Kevin Doyle all too easily brushed past the home defence to tuck the ball in the bottom corner of the net.
With minutes to go to the break John O'Flynn's header with Rodgers in no-man's land, was booted from the line by defender Brian Kelly.
With just two minutes gone in the second half the Cork goal had a let off when Andy Myler's free clipped the angle of post and crossbar.
The visitors' third and the clincher arrived with 63 minutes gone when Gary Rodgers' poor punch from a City corner fell to Colin T O'Brien on the edge of the box. He returned the ball to the net with gusto.
The closing stages saw Cork content to hold what they had as Drogheda failed to make any impression on the visitors rearguard.
Indeed, City could have made it four in added time when John O'Flynn raced from inside his own half only to be denied by goalkeeper Rodgers, who turned the ball around the post with a flailing leg.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Rodgers, Flanagan, Sandvliet, O'Connor, Kelly, Lester, Reilly, Lynch, Rooney, Myler, Freeman.
Subs: Molloy for Reilly ht. Cronin for Sandvliet.71 Sullivan for Lynch 81.
CORK CITY: Devine, Murphy, O'Halloran, Murray, O'Brien, O'Flynn, O'Callaghan, Woods, Doyle, Horgan, Kearney.
Referee: D Hancock (Dublin)
