Cork City coughed up a two-goal lead to fall to a costly defeat, which leaves them 11 points adrift of Sligo Rovers in their Premier Division relegation struggle.
The hosts showed signs of life as Evan McLaughlin and Seani Maguire goals put them on the brink of a first league victory in 14 attempts.
But manager Ger Nash was denied an overdue triumph by Owen Elding and Patrick McClean’s strikes.
City came close to a late winner only for Alex Nolan’s wonderstrike to cannon off the crossbar. Rovers countered as Ryan O’Keane buried the 89th-minute winner.
Despite the 11 remaining games, those goals may have all but condemned City to the drop in front of a 2,673 crowd, which included Roy Keane.
They were booed off by the Shed End at the final whistle.
Nash opted for three changes, headlined by the return of Maguire up top for Charlie Lutz. Harry Nevin made his first start in two months at right-back, while McLaughlin was recalled to the midfield.
They were without five possible starters in keeper David Odumosu, suspended captain Charlie Lyons, Milan Mbeng, Seán Murray, and St Mirren-bound winger Malik Dijksteel.
Rovers’ recent success has been built on early goals. Here, they were under the cosh from the start.
City got behind them down the flanks to force a couple of quickfire corners. Maguire got under his header, while Cathal O’Sullivan had a shot blocked.
However, City regained possession from the latter opportunity and sliced Rovers open.
Maguire switched to Kitt Nelson in space, and the Preston loanee zipped a quality ball into McLaughlin’s feet. He jinked onto his left and deceived Sam Sargeant by whipping the ball inside the near post for his second of the season.
That seventh-minute strike was City’s earliest goal in almost three months.
The hosts weren’t used to holding such an early lead, but they made life difficult for their opponents by defending in a determined low block, led by the aerial ability of Fiacre Kelleher.
A couple of Rory Feely long throws further highlighted City’s intent to make life as awkward as possible for the visitors, resulting in a Nelson shot down the keeper’s throat.
Maguire’s hold-up play provided a key outlet for Brann’s route-one balls. But when the keeper launched him straight through the middle, the 11-cap Ireland international delayed too long and fluffed his shot.
O’Sullivan was an early casualty as he was helped off, worryingly, rubbing his left knee after attempting to contest a high ball.
Matthew Kiernan’s driving runs on the counter kept Rovers unsettled. One forced a corner, which saw Kelleher retreat with his head in his hands after nodding wide. Then, Nelson twisted onto his right, but shot straight at Sargeant.
Brann was alert to make a flying save on the resumption as Will Fitzgerald’s hit looked destined for the top corner. He added a follow-up save from McClean from the corner. Fitzgerald headed their next chance over.
From that goal kick, Nelson and Alex Nolan combined down the right to drag the ball back for Maguire. His first shot was saved by Sargeant, but Maguire latched onto the rebound to bury his fourth goal of the season, and first in two months.
The two-goal cushion lasted just four minutes. Rovers exploited the vast tracts of empty space around the tiring City defence as Hakiki fed Elding, who finished at the second attempt after a fine Brann save.
Fitzpatrick blazed wide before Rovers switched to two up front. Elding almost profited from a Feely slip, but Brann foiled the opportunity and Nevin cleared.Brann again came up trumps to push around the post from Hakiki, but from Fitzgerald’s corner, McClean directed a bullet header into the far corner.
New signings Kaedyn Kamara and Brody Lee made late debuts, but once Nolan’s effort bounced away from danger, Rovers came up with a late dagger through O’Kane.
Cork City: Conor Brann; Harry Nevin, Rory Feely, Fiacre Kelleher, Matthew Kiernan (Benny Couto 82); Darragh Crowley, Evan McLaughlin; Cathal O’Sullivan (Alex Nolan 20), Kitt Nelson (Kaedyn Kamara 83), Josh Fitzpatrick (Brody Lee 82); Seani Maguire (Charlie Lutz 75).
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Francely Lomboto 70), Ollie Denham, Patrick McClean, Seán Stewart; James McManus, Seb Quirk; Will Fitzgerald, Jad Hakiki, Ryan O’Kane; Owen Elding.
Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).
Report courtasy of RTÉ