SHELBOURNE remain top of the First Division thanks to Conan Byrne's second half winner against Longford Town.

Shelbourne 1 Longford Town 0

Conan Byrne hit a second half winner to edge Shelbourne back three points clear at the top of the First Division table.

In a tight match, Longford might have taken the lead early in the second half, but Don Cowan shot wide when played though on goal by Jacques Morley.

Winger Byrne then won it for Shels on 72 minutes, shooting past Town keeper Paul Hunt following a superb passing move.

Byrne then blew a chance to double the winning margin a minute from time when shooting wide.

Limerick FC 1 Finn Harps 0

Pat Purcell was Limerick's Captain Marvel for the second week running as once again his solitary goal gave Pat Scully's side a narrow win to move them up to fourth in the table.

Having scored to beat Waterford United at Jackman Park last week, central defender Purcell worked the oracle again with a virtual carbon copy goal on 66 minutes.

Again it was a corner from Shane Tracy and once more Purcell arrived to score with a header as bottom of the table Harps slumped to a seventh successive league defeat.

Mervue United 0 Salthill Devon 0

Ronan Forde saved two penalties as Salthill Devon scraped a point from a fitful Corrib derby at Fahy's Field.

Jason Molloy was the first to fail to score from the spot on 32 minutes after he had been taken down. Forde stood up well to palm the spot kick onto his crossbar.

Forde was brilliant again on 76 minutes when saving a second penally from Dan Cunningham after he'd been fouled by right-back Paddy Quinlan.

Substitute David Goldbey might still have won it for Mervue minutes from time, but headed wide from Tom King's cross.

Wexford Youths  1   Cork City  2

Vinny Sullivan and Gearoid Morrissey provided the goals as Cork came from behind to inflict further misery on lowly Wexford Youths at Ferrycarrig Park.

As they did last week before losing 3-1 at home to Salthill Devon, Youths took the lead, though against the tun of play, three minutes into the second half.

Mark McNulty could only parry a shot and Craig Wall followed up to score.

Cork deservedly levelled on 66 minutes when striker Sullivan finally beat Packie Holden with a crisp shot.

Midfielder Morrissey then struck to win it for Cork on 84 minutes.