Saturday 12th May 2007, 1:07 am
11th May 2007
Kilkenny City 2
John MacNicholas 61
Eoghan O'Shea 70
Athlone Town 3
Stevie Gavin 7, 21
Ian Rossiter 43
Buckley Park
Despite leading 3-0 at the break, Athlone Town had to endure a nervous finish to the game after hosts Kilkenny City scored twice in the second period before the game eventually finished 3-2 in favour of the midlands club.
Stevie Gavin's goals after seven and twenty-one minutes set Athlone on their way before Ian Rossiter made it 3-0 just before half time.
John McNicholas gave Kilkenny a lifeline when he scored just after the hour and Eoghan O'Shea forced the ball home from close range on 70 minutes to make the score 3-2.
Kilkenny had chances but couldn't scramble level.
Kilkenny City : McGuinness, Moylan, Fitzgerald, O'Shea, Falvey, C Walsh (McNicholas 46), Comerford, Grant, Tynan (Denn 90), Watson (O'Connor 46), Fogarty.
Athlone Town : O'Leary, Rossiter, Young (Casey 54), Frawley, Sheridan, Russo (McGee 75), Gavin, Byrne, O'Dowd, Lavine (Harty 46), Heffernan.