Graham Burke scored five times as Rovers routed a City side that played half the game with 10 men.
Given the swirling wind and rain, it was little surprise a mistake finally brought the goal that a dour game required on 32 minutes. Centre-half Joseph Olowu scuffed his clearance from Jack Byrne’s cross straight to Burke who picked his spot with a crisp shot.
Neil Farrugia brought a superb tip over from City keeper Liam Bossin before Rovers doubled their lead on 42 minutes.
Skipper Ronan Finn’s low cross from the right fell for Burke in the six-yard box to nonchalantly toe poke in.
The game was up for Cork in added time at the end of the half when Deshane Dalling was shown a straight red card for a lunge on Roberto Lopes.
Rovers added to their lead on the hour when Burke’s smart back heel to Byrne brought a shot from the edge of the area that Bossin couldn’t keep out.
Burke drilled in his third on 74 minutes, a deflected shot brought a fourth four minutes later and he completed the rout with a confident left-foot drive to the bottom corner.
