KARL BERMINGHAM kept Shelbourne three points clear at the top of the table as Alan Mathews' Reds had to come from behind in the top-of-the-table clash at Tolka Park.

Shelbourne 1 Cork City 1

CORK will perhaps feel the less happier of the sides as they edged the game on chances and will see it as a missed opportunity to have taken the scalp of one of their chief promotion rivals.

 Roared on a sizeable travelling support, Cork settled the quicker.

 Graham Cummins was the main threat for Tommy Dunne's side and he had several chances before finally putting City in front on 36 minutes.

 Under pressure from striker Vinny Sullivan, Shels' defender Lorcan Fitzgerald tried to cut out a Davin O'Neill cross but only succeeded in directing it towards Cummins who headed past Dean Delaney.

 A good save from City Mark McNulty and an excellent intervention from defender Stephen Mulcahy kept Phillly Hughes at bay before Shels got their equaliser three minutes after the break.

 Bermingham did well to beat Kalen Spillane to get in a shot that McNulty could only parry. The rebound came back nicely for the striker to shoot to the net.

 Shels enjoyed a decent spell of the ball after that, with Barry Clancy shooting a good opening wide, before Cork finished the stronger.

 Spillane headed narrowly over the home crossbar before Delaney tipped over from substitute Vincent Escude-Candau.

 Escude-Candau then had a late chance to win it for City when played through by Greg O'halloran only to shoot wide.

 Limerick FC 1 Waterford United 0

 SKIPPER Pat Purcell got the only goal of the game as Limerick won this Munster derby between two of the division's promotion hopefuls at Jackman Park.

 The strike came on 25 minutes after a stunning Shane Tracy free-kick was put out for a corner. From the resultant flag kick central defender Purcell rose highest to head past Kevin Burns.

 Burns made a good save from Brian O'Callaghan while Stephen O'Flynn shot narrowly wide as Limerick pressed to double their lead early in the second half.

 Waterford then thought they'd levelled on 65 minutes only fro WIllie John Kiely's header to be ruled out for an infringement.

Wexford Youths 1 Salthill Devon 3

 GOALS from Paddy Quinlan, Victor Collins and Ciprian Straut saw Paul McGee's Devon come from behind to earn their first win of the season to lift them off the foot of the table.

 Ben Ryan put Youths in front in first half stoppage time when his deflected shot beat keeper Ronan Forde.

 Defender Quinlan began the Devon revival nine minutes into the second half with an equaliser following a corner.

 Collins fired Devon in front on 76 minutes with midfielder Straut sealing the three points with the third three minutes into added time.

Mervue United 2 Finn Harps 1

MARC BROLLY scored the first Finn Harps goal in over 13 hours of football, but it wasn't enough as Peter Hutton's side slumped to a sixth successive defeat.

 The result also saw Harps drop to the bottom of the First Division table.

 Tom King was the Mervue hero with both their goals as Johnny Glynnn's side added this win to their most recent home victory over Monaghan.

 Midfielder King got his first on 36 minutes when heading home Mark Ludden's corner.

 Harps battled back and levelled ten minutes into the second half when Brolly's free-kick went directly to the net past keeper Ger Hanley.

 But King had the final say with the winner seven minutes from time when chipping Ciaran Gallagher.