Cork City 0  Shamrock Rovers  2:Shamrock Rovers can, at last, look forward to a significant match in European competition with which to inaugurate life at their new stadium in Tallaght after a win of huge significance over Cork City at Turner's Cross yesterday.

Victory meant they eliminated the threat of their nearest rivals for a place in the InterToto Cup and while Rovers can be overtaken by Bohemians or Derry City, their fate rests in their own hands.

After dropping out of the championship race and crushed by Dundalk in the FAI Cup, Rovers bounced back to repeat their Cup win over Cork. But they needed the help of a disputed goal from a penalty in the 79th minute, awarded when substitute Richie Byrne fell under the challenge of Declan Daly. Cork protested vigorously but when calm was restored, Billy Woods fired home.

"It was not a penalty from where I viewed the incident," said Cork manager Liam Murphy. "Declan Daly was adamant it was not a penalty. It was a turning point because there was always only a kick of the ball between us. The referee lost control at that point."

A poor game suddenly took fire after the penalty. The referee showed yellow cards to Cork substitute John Caulfield and Rovers' goalkeeper Tony O'Dowd after an incident in the 81st minute. Then he flashed a red card at Rovers' Terry Palmer two minutes later as he retaliated after a tackle by Colin P O'Brien.

Cork pushed forward in search of an equaliser but they paid a heavy price. Rovers substitute Stephen Grant ran clear from the halfway line, stepped wide of a challenge from Daly and slotted a second goal past Michael Devine in the 89th minute.

"It was a win my players deserved because they gave a stunning performance in difficult circumstances," said Rovers manager Damien Richardson. "The beauty of this result is that it puts us in a great position to clinch a place in European competition and after the difficulties we have had this season if we qualify for Europe then I will regard this as a wonderful season."

CORK CITY: Devine; Carey, Daly, Coughlan, Horgan; CT O'Brien, Buckley (Hartigan 84), O'Grady(O'Halloran 59), Cahill; CP O'Brien, Morley (Caulfield 71).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: O'Dowd; Kavanagh, Palmer, Deans, Cronin; Robinson (Byrne 58), Colwell, Tracey, Woods; T Grant (Dunne 89), Cousins (S Grant 62).

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).