Cork City 2 Athlone Town 0

Graham Cummins score twice, to make it 13 in total for the season, as Cork kept the pressure on leaders Shelbourne.

Cummins opened the scoring on seven minutes when tapping home from strike partner Vinny Sullivan's cross.

He added the second three minutes into the second half when punishing a weak back pass from Town substitute Keith Dunne to shoot past Michael Schlingermann.

Town finished with ten men when defender Paul Danaher was sent off in added time for pulling down Cummins, his second booking.

Cork remain two points behind leaders Shelbourne, though with a game more played.

Shelbourne 4 Mervue United 0

Philly Hughes hit a stunning hat-trick as Shelbourne maintained their charge for promotion from the front.

The little striker was irrepressible as he scored twice early on in the 18th and 22nd minutes.

The first came from Chris Mulhall's low cross which Hughes simply tapped home.

Left-back Lorcan Fitzgerald was the provider for the second when Hughes' header from his cross  hit a post and went in off keeper TJ Forde. The hat-trick then arrived just before the hour mark.

Conan Byrne headed a fourth goal, after Forde could only parry a shot from Mulhall, 14 minutes from time to score for the fourth match running.

A sixth win from seven games keeps Alan Mathews' Reds two points clear at the top.