Cork City  0  Shelbourne 1:John Burns (24) scored a precious winning goal at Turner's Cross yesterday in a disappointing match which produced no more than a handful of scoring chances.

Burns, on loan from Bristol City, struck after 57 minutes following a right-wing throw-in and a pass from Peter Hutton. He carried the ball across the edge of the penalty area to a central position before striking a left-foot shot beyond the reach of goalkeeper Michael Devine.

The goal was not without controversy as Cork claimed they should have been awarded a free kick in the incident that led to the throw-in.

Ollie Cahill was hit by a high challenge just before the ball was knocked out of play and Cork manager Liam Murphy commented: "Ollie was the victim of a high, two-footed challenge and you would be sent off for that on the Continent, but we did not even get a free."

Shelbourne were delighted with their three points for they are now four ahead of second-placed St Patrick's Athletic, who have a match in hand over the leaders. It was a good result as they did not play to their full potential in a match that was always tight and competitive.

Shelbourne manager Dermot Keely said afterwards: "There was a bit of pressure on us today with St Pat's winning during the week and knowing that this is always a difficult venue to visit. We had to try and win three points and although we might have settled for a draw before the game, winning now takes the disappointment out of last week (when they drew 0-0 with Bray)."

Shelbourne remained conservative in their set-up throughout with five players across midfield and Stephen Geoghegan a lone force up front. But Keely admitted they were unhappy with this approach until Burns struck.

He said: "We are not prolific and when we get a chance we must take it. But we were thinking of changing it by taking off one of the central midfield players and putting on another forward when we scored, so we were happy to leave it as it was after that."

Chances were decidedly scarce at both ends of the pitch and a disappointed Cork manager Liam Murphy said: "We defended badly for the goal and the pity of it was, they scarcely had a chance apart from that. They came here to defend to try and take a point and they won it because we defended badly from the throw-in."

Cork might have snatched a draw in the final minute of the game when substitute James Mulligan was given a clear shot just 10 yards from goal but a sharp reaction from goalkeeper Steve Williams who advanced to smother the shot. But Cork's poor run led to chants calling for the resignation of the manager from a section of the fans.

Murphy was quick to respond: "Those people do not understand football. I took over last season after we had taken a hiding from St Pat's and you saw in the past eight days we were unlucky to lose to Pat's 2-3 and we made it very difficult for Shels today. I don't pay any attention to those people."

CORK CITY: Devine, Napier, Coughlan, Daly, Horgan, C T O'Brien, Bennett, O'Grady, Cahill, Morley, C P O'Brien (Mulligan 64).

SHELBOURNE: Williams, Hutton, Prenderville, McCarthy, Heary, Burns, Byrne, Gannon, Crawford, Fenlon, Geoghegan.

Referee: H Byrne (Dublin)