Individual braces from Ronan Coughlan and Romeo Parkes saw Sligo Rovers take all three points from Turner’s Cross
Parkes gave Rovers the lead just past the half hour mark, but City struck back through a Dan Casey strike from a corner.
The Bit O’Red led at the break when Coughlan executed a smart finish in front of the Cork shed, while Parkes made it 3-1 on the hour.
A stunning Shane Griffin effort gave City hope, but Rovers held out and Coughlan was on hand once more to secure the win five minutes from time.
The striker making the most of a Mark McNulty mishap.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Colm Horgan (Josh Honohan 76), Alan Bennett, Dan Casey, Shane Griffin; Conor McCormack, Garry Buckley; Daire O’Connor (Mark O’Sullivan 53), Karl Sheppard, Joel Coustrain; Eoghan Stokes (Alec Byrne 80).
Sligo Rovers: Edward McGinty; Lewis Banks, John Mahon, Kyle McFadden, Regan Donelon (Niall Morahan 73); David Cawley, John Russell, Kris Twarderk; Daryl Fordyce, Romeo Parkes, Ronan Coughlan.