Cork City have won the President's Cup for the second year in succession as they saw off Dundalk 3-0 at Turner's Cross.
Sean Maguire, Kevin O'Connor and Karl Sheppard got the goals as John Caulfield's 2016 FAI Cup winners came out on top against Stephen Kenny's three-in-a-row reigning league champions.
Last season, Cork were able to overcome Dundalk 2-0 in the 2016 season curtain raiser but this time were able to add a little extra gloss on the scoreline.
The prolific Maguire picked up where he left off last season when he scored the extra winner in the 2016 FAI Cup final.
Cork's Sean Maguire runs past Dundalk's Gabriel Sava ©INPHO/Tommy Dickson
The striker opened the scoring on 14 minutes when he darted towards the box, sized up Dundalk defender Paddy Barrett, headed down the outside and showed composure to beat goalkeeper Gabriel Sava with a shot through the legs at the near post.
Cork doubled their lead on 68 minutes when O'Connor's free kick from the left side just outside the box found the top corner with Sava getting a hand on it on its way into the net.
The third came at the death when Sheppard cut inside from the right flank, made his way into the box and found the far corner of the net.
The new League of Ireland Premier Division season will now begin in earnest next Friday.
Cork City: McNulty, Delaney, Bolger (c), Keohane, McCormack, Beattie, Dooley, O’Connor, Morrissey, Maguire, Buckley.
Dundalk: Sava, Gannon, Gartland, Barrett, O’Donnell (c), Duffy, Mountney, McEleney, Massey, Kilduff, Benson.
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