Tony Cousins scored twice as Shamrock Rovers piled more early season misery on reigning league champions St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park last night, knocking them out of the League Cup by the tune of 2-1.
Shamrock Rovers marginally deserved their first-half lead. That came after 15 minutes when Shane Robinson did well up the right to whip over a good cross and Cousins wheeled away claiming the goal after appearing to get his foot to the ball and force it into the net at the near post.
In an almost identical goal just on the hour, Cousins again met a cross, this time from Billy Woods, to score again. St Pat's made a fight of it in the final quarter and got a goal back when Marcus Hallows scored his first for the club since his summer move from Sligo; latching onto Keith Doyle's through ball.
Paul McGee made a telling early contribution after coming on as a 37th minute substitute for Athlone Town against Galway United at Terryland Park to score the only goal of the game and put the First Division side through to tomorrow night's second round draw.
On the pitch just four minutes, having replaced Alan Clarke, McGee cleverly nipped in behind the square Galway defence and onto Gary Devine's through ball before shooting low past teenage goalkeeper David Forde.
Though Devine had hit a post after just three minutes, Galway had dominated the first-half but couldn't find a way past a packed Athlone defence. Substitute Alan O'Donnell missed two excellent second-half chances before the game ended on a sour note with the sending off of Galway's Kieran Foely and Athlone's Colin Fortune following a scuffle.
Waterford United had few problems with Newbridge Town, killing off the challenge of the Leinster Senior League side with two early goals on their way to a 40 win at the RSC.
Cobh Ramblers ended Limerick FC's unbeaten start to the season to maintain their own, with a comfortable 4-1 win at Hogan Park.
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