A MISSED chance by veteran striker Roddy Collins was all that stood between a winning debut in senior soccer for St Francis as they played out a 0-0 draw with Longford Town in their Shield Northern Section game at a blisteringly sunny but windswept Hyland Park, Baldonnel yesterday.

Collins, 36, raced clear onto full back John Swift's long pass on 61 minutes only to lob the ball inches over the crossbar with only Longford goalkeeper Aidan Smyth to beat.

It wasn't a great game, but not losing and the occasion was all that mattered to St Francis.

It could have gone oh so wrong as St Francis midfielder Alan Mullen headed a free kick from Longford's Derek Murray against his own crossbar after less than a minute had been played.

"We're very pleased with the performance," said St Francis manager, Pete Mahon, afterwards. "It was vital we didn't lose our first game and we played particularly well in the second half when we should have won it. All the players are more tired than usual which is to be expected. We must now maintain that level of performance week in week out. We are not in one off cup match situations anymore, we must raise our game every time."

Kilkenny City and Cobh Ramblers recorded their first wins in the Southern Section on Saturday night.

Cobh goalkeeper Michael Devine scored his first goal for Ramblers from the penalty spot in their 2-0 defeat of Waterford United at St Colman's Park.