Cobh Ramblers moved into second place in the table after they beat promotion favourites Kilkenny City 2-0 at Buckley Park on Saturday night.

Cobh took the lead when Liam O'Connor struck five minutes before half-time. Anthony Kenneally then scored a superb second goal for Cobh on 66 minutes, driving the ball home from 20 yards.

Home Farm/Everton provided James Coll with an inauspicious start to his managerial career as they beat Athlone Town 3-0 at Whitehall.

They concede a goal after six minutes when Darryl Mooney played a one-two with his younger brother, Adrian, before blasting the ball past Anthony Keenan.

Athlone only gradually got into the game but were rocked back on their heels within five minutes of the second-half when Home Farm skipper, Stuart Byrne, scored.

Byrne then sealed Home Farm's first win, and points, of the season, with a third goal from a penalty seven minutes later.

St Francis staged one of the comebacks of the season to date when scoring three times in the last nine minutes to beat Longford Town 3-2 at Strokestown Road.

Vinnie Perth, with a 50th minute penalty, and Mark Devlin, who added a second goal in the 79th minute, appeared to have sealed a third successive win for Stephen Kenny's fledgling side.

St Francis, however, responded with a Jason Ledwidge goal on 81 minutes with Alan Harte heading the equaliser two mintues Later. Colm Talbot completed the revival with a delightfully lobbed goal two minutes from time.