CORK CITY ended their losing start to the league campaign when they scored an emphatic 3-1 win over FAI Cup holders, Shelbourne, at Turner's Cross yesterday.
Close season signing, Damien O'Connell, from Munster Senior League side, Avondale United, was the toast of the home team with a two-goal salvo as Cork recaptured the form that took them through to the League Cup semi-finals.
O'Connell opened the scoring after just 10 minutes when he beat Alan Gough with a low drive, after the ball broke between Kelvin Flanagan and Shelbourne's Pascal Vaudequin.
Cork skipper, John Caulfield, had a shot saved by Gough minutes later, before Shelbourne equalised after 18 minutes when Tony Sheridan played a neat one-two with Mark Rutherford before curling the ball past Cork's Phil Harrington.
Shelbourne had to defend stoutly and it took timely tackles from Mick Neville and Dave Campbell to stop Flanagan and Caulfield in their tracks before Cork regained the lead five minutes before half-time. O'Connell was involved again in the build-up when John Caulfield stepped over his cross from the end-line for Flanagan to sweep the ball home with a right-footed shot.
Cork sealed their first home win of the season with a smashing third goal from O'Connell after 64 minutes when he lobbed goalkeeper Gough from outside the box, giving Cork their first league points of the new season.
