The attacker with the happy knack of shooting goals joined the exclusive 100 club when inconsistent Shelbourne kept hot on the heels of the leaders by beating struggling Kilkenny City at foggy Buckley Park.

Shelbourne's Stephen Geoghegan went into this Saturday night game two goals short of the century mark. After a mere 13 minutes he had hit the 100th goal and he was hoping to start on the second century. "It was great to do it so quickly," beamed a delighted Geoghegan, who has been nine seasons on the senior scene. "It was nice to do it and get it over with. Now for the next 100."

If Geoghegan was all smiles afterwards, not so Shelbourne's manager, Damian Richardson. Far from happy with the smash-and-grab form of his team - they scored three goals in 17 minutes and then died - he kept the players in the dressing-room afterwards and gave them a bit of a dressing down.

Shelbourne lost their shape and direction after the scintillating opening when they threatened to rip Kilkenny asunder.

The first goal arrived in the 11th minute when Tony McCarthy drilled the ball in from the left and after it broke off a defender, Geoghegan slipped it home from near the penalty spot.

The second was from the spot in the 15th minute. A header by Dave Campbell was handled on the line by Richie Hale, who was booked when he could easily have been dismissed. Geoghegan dispatched the penalty to the net with aplomb to claim his 100th goal. Just two minutes later, Pat Scully headed Shelbourne into a 3-0 lead.

When the visitors relaxed, Kilkenny came more into the game. Their improving efforts were rewarded in the 33rd minute when Aidan Cooney netted from 10 yards after Brian Arrigan crashed a powerful shot against the crossbar.

The second half was a dull affair. In the 48th minute, Arrigan brought a fine save from Alan Gough from a 25-yard free, and later Geoghegan missed the opportunity to complete his hat-trick when he hooked a fair chance from 15 yards over the top. There was little else besides.

Kilkenny City: A Stephenson, K Kelly, P Devereaux, T Hall, E Smith, A Cooney, D Walsh, B Arrigan, A O'Connor, R Hale, B Rea. Subs: J Power for Devereaux (46 mins), A Leventhal for O'Connor (70th mins), T Foster for Hale (70 mins).

Shelbourne: A Gough, G Costello, P Fenlon, M Neville, D Campbell, P Scully, T McCarthy, D Baker, T Sheridan, S Geoghegan, M Rutherford.

Referee: T Tully, (Cork).