Graham Burke was one of six players to be retained in the Rovers starting line-up from their Europa Conference League qualification exit to Ferencvaros at the same venue last Thursday and he was desperately unfortunate to see his crisp strike just shy of the 20-minute mark rebound off the City post.

However, after twisting and turning on the edge of the box in the 29th-minute, the former Preston North End star eventually broke the deadlock with a smooth finish off his less favoured right foot.

This was the Hoops’ first goal from general play in all competitions since Rory Gaffney’s league winner against Derry City on June 26, but their lead was wiped out 10 minutes from the break when Barry Coffey superbly drilled a free-kick from a right-angle beyond the reach of Alan Mannus.

This threw down the gauntlet to Rovers on the resumption, but their response was emphatic. Five minutes into the second half, Burt celebrated his first start as a Hoops player with his maiden goal for the title holders – a clinically-dispatched finish following a fine individual run.

While Burke and Markus Poom were both denied by an impressive Oliver Byrne inside the final-quarter, a lack of end product from the City attack meant a Rovers victory was never truly in doubt during the closing stages.

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Cleary, Lopes, Kavanagh; Finn (Nugent 77), O’Neill, Poom, Burt (Greene 86); Watts (Towell 65), Burke; Kenny (Gaffney 65).

Cork City: Byrne; Custovic, Coleman, Honohan, Drinan; Stanulevicius (Worman 77), Bolger; Bargary, Coffey, Kabia (Fitzpatrick 72); Owolabi.

Referee: D MacGraith (Mayo).