Galway United 0 Cork City 5

Cork City moved to within a point of Premier Division leaders Dundalk thanks to an emphatic win over Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park and the defending champions going down to a shock 3-0 defeat at home to Sligo Rovers .

Prompted by the splendid Karl Sheppard, Cork struck three goals in the opening 18 minutes to take control in the west.

Sheppard created all the first-half goals for Cork, who hit the front in the second minute courtesy of a Sean Maguire header.

Stephen Dooley added a second in the 15th minute following another shrewd delivery from Sheppard, who was destroying Galway.

Moments later Sheppard supplied a deep cross which was headed home by midfielder Gary Buckley as Galway struggled.

Three minutes after the restart Maguire notched his second of the match bursting clear to score following a Gavan Holohan pass.

Cork, who scored a fifth in stoppage time courtesy of substitute Chiedozie Ogbene, will face a far more revealing test against Dundalk on Tuesday evening at Oriel Park in what now has the look of a title decider.

GALWAY UNITED: Ramsbottom; Horgan, Aganovic, Folan (Cantwell, 58), Walsh; Shanahan, Sinnott (Byrne, 58 mins), Connolly, Devaney; Faherty, Curran (Melody, 72 mins).

CORK CITY: McNulty; Beattie, Bennett, Browne (McSweeney, 61 mins), O'Connor; Buckley, Bolger (Healy, 61 mins); Sheppard, Holohan, Dooley (Ogbene, 75 mins); Maguire.

Referee: R Matthews (Westmeath).