Shamrock Rovers 3 Longford Town 2

Battling Longford contributed their share to a hair-raising, five-goal thriller but left empty handed.

They started the fun as early as the 11^th minute when Stuart Holt's worm-burner of a free kick skidded all the way to the net. Eric Smith could have made it 2-0 but missed from eight yards - and newboy Tony Grant punished Longford to the max for that miss when he grabbed his first goal for Rovers on the 37^th minute.

Thirteen minutes into the second half Rovers took the lead when Terry Palmer - showing Smith how centre backs should do it - glanced home a Marc Kenny free.

But Longford weren't finished and they looked as if they might grab a point when Colin Notaro headed the equaliser ten minutes from time.

After two successive draws though, Rovers wanted a win. Substitutes Shane Robinson and Richie Purdy combined to produce a goal by the latter that was almost a carbon copy of Palmer's.

Shamrock Rovers: O'Dowd, Smith, Palmer, Deans, Dunne, Kenny, Colwell, Tracey, Woods, Francis, Grant

Subs: Byrne for Kenny 70, Robinson for Woods 82, Purdy for Francis 89

Goals: Grant 36, Palmer 57, Purdy 90.

Longford Town: O'Brien, Murphy, Smith, McNally, W Byrne, Notaro, Holt, S Byrne, Coyle, O'Connor, Gavin

Subs: Zellor for Gavin 45, Farrell for Coyle 70, V Perth for S Byrne 73

Goals: Holt 36, Notaro 80

Referee: H Byrne (Dublin)