Cork City - 2 Waterford Utd - 0: Cork City scored two second-half goals to earn a battling three points at Turner's Cross last night. The contest was often bad tempered and physical as Cork succeeded in getting their league challenge up and running after their recent exploits in the Intertoto Cup.

Waterford, who were without six of their first-choice players, succeeded in giving Cork a vigorous contest before Cork's more constructive football helped them pull away.

Referee Eddie Barr was quickly in action as he showed a yellow card to Waterford's Alan Reynolds for a foul on George O'Callaghan in the first minute. But he and his two assistants were unable to legislate on an off-the-ball incident within another four minutes that resulted in Reynolds and O'Callaghan lying on the ground needing attention.

The referee, who awarded 35 frees in the 90 minutes, had a very indifferent match and his fussy approach led to a first half punctuated by free kicks.

Waterford produced the best effort of the first half when David Mulcahy got a header on a corner from Reynolds in the 35th minute only to see his attempt fly narrowly over.

Cork only showed glimpses of the controlled football that served them so well in the Intertoto Cup and a particular disappointment was the form of their centre forwards, John O'Flynn and Neale Fenn. Cork scarcely threatened in the first half with O'Callaghan going closest with a volley from 30 yards that was deflected narrowly wide.

Cork were unlucky, however, within two minutes of the restart when Alan Bennett got his head to a corner from O'Callaghan and goalkeeper David Hennessy was at full stretch as he pushed the ball onto an upright. The rebound fell in a crowded penalty area and was hooked away by the outstanding Pat Purcell.

Cork succeeded in imposing an element of control on the game in the second half and the pressure paid off in the 63rd minute. A free from the left by Danny Murphy found Bennett rising high at the far upright to head wide of Hennessy for a well-taken goal.

Cork made sure of the win with an excellent second goal in the 88th minute. A throw on the right by Cillian Lordan was picked up by John O'Flynn and he raced on to a return pass from Neale Fenn before firing the ball past David Hennessy from 15 yards.

CORK CITY: Devine; Lordan, Bennett, Murray, Murphy; Doyle, O'Brien, O'Callaghan, Kearney; Fenn, O'Flynn.

WATERFORD UNITED: Hennessy; Browne, Breen, Purcell, Carey; O'Brien, Reynolds, Mulcahy, Waters; Quitongo (Banville 70 mins), Murphy.

Referee: E Barr (Dublin).