SHELBOURNE moved into pole position in the First Division after a hard-earned 2-1 win in Mervue.

 

Mervue United 1   Shelbourne 2

 

Goals from David Cassidy and Stephen Paisley made it three wins from three for Shelbourne to put them top of the table.

 

Cassidy scored for the third match running to put Shels in front on 19 minutes. Conan Byrne did well to play Cassidy in to shoot past Ger Hanley.

 

Mervue battled back to level eight minutes into the second half when Rory Gaffney pooped up at the back post to beat Dean Delaney.

 

But Mervue were undone from a set piece on 64 minutes when they didn't defender Cassidy's free-kick and central defender Paisley arrived to head home.

 

  

Athlone Town  0   Cork City 0

 

Athlone Town frustrated Cork City to knock Tommy Dunne's side off the top of the table at Lisseywoollen.

 

Cork did have the ball in the net on four minutes through Davin O'Neill, but it was ruled out for offside.

 

Town's best first half chance came on 28 minutes when Colm Smith set up Robbie Murray who's shot was well saved by Mark McNulty.

 

The second half was a huge disappointment as the game petered out to a scoreless draw.

 

 Limerick FC   1  Longford Town 0

 

JEFFREY JUDGE got Limerick back to winning way with the only goal at Jackman Park.

 

That came on 52 minutes when, following a scramble after Town lost the ball on the edge of their area, Judge finally received possession and seemed to take an age to shoot past Alvin Rouse.

 

 Shane Tracy had the ball in the Town net a second time 12 minutes later but it was disallowed for an offside.

 

 

Waterford United  1  Finn harps  0

 

A GOAL from Willie John Kiely finally got Waterford's promotion challenge up and running with their first win of the season at the RSC.

 

The game's only strike came 13 minutes from time and was no more than Stephen Henderson's side deserved.

 

Gary Keane was play in on goal by Gary Dunphy and when his shot was parried by Ciaran Gallagher, Kiely is first to react to rifle to the net.

 

 

Monaghan United   3    Salthill Devon   0

 

SEAN BRENNAN scored twice as Monaghan eased past Devon who finished with ten men.

 

Brennan had already put Roddy Collins' side ahead on three minutes, scoring after working a one-two with Jason Marks, before Devon had Mike Quirke sent off on ten minutes following a tussle with Brennan.

 

Marks doubled Monaghan's lead on 36 minutes with a well struck shot from outside the area.

 

Brennan added the third a minute before the interval when finishing off a fine passing move to shoot beyond Ronan Forde.