Cork City picked up their first league win of season with a 2-1 win over a gallant Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.

A Sean McLoughlin header and a wonderful Gearoid Morrisey strike from distance saw City lead comfortably.

Kyle Callan-McFadden pulled one back for Sligo on 63 minutes, but the Bit O’Red were unable to pull an equaliser out of the hat.

Without victory in their opening two games, it was John Caulfield’s men who dictated large portions of this first half and City’s early pressure told just short of the quarter hour.

Dante Leverock could only deflect Shane Griffin’s as far as McLoughlin, who volleyed home from 12 yards.

Rovers, unsettled by an early injury to full back Regan Donelon, failed to test City net minder Mark McNulty in the opening 45.

The closest the hosts came to an equaliser before the break, was when Daryl Fordyce’s opportunistic effort from out wide sailed harmlessly over the Cork goal.

The second half was just four minutes old when the Rebels had their second.

Thirty yards out from the target, and with nothing else on in front of him, Morrisey unleashed a stunning left-footed effort which flew past Rovers stopper Ed McGinty and into the top corner.

Both sides went close at opposing ends before Sligo cut Cork’s lead in half on 65 minutes. Callan-McFadden nodding Jack Keaney’s corner to the net with a determined diving header.

The hosts tried to force an equaliser but Cork held on for their first points of the season.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Kyle Callan-McFadden, Dante Leverock, John Mahon; Lewis Banks, Regan Donelon (Niall Morahan 7); Jack Keaney, Daryl Fordyce (David Cawley 66); Kris Twardek, Liam Kerrigan (Sam Warde 66) ; Romeo Parkes.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Conor McCarthy, Dan Casey, Sean McLoughlin, Shane Griffin; Conor McCormack, Gearoid Morrisey; Garry Buckley, Daire O’Connor (James Tiley 69), Karl Sheppard; Liam Nash (Dan Smith 69).

Referee: Ben Connolly