Functional rather than spectacular, Shamrock Rovers' third successive win keeps them on the coat tails of the leaders at the top of the Premier Division. But Rovers manager Damien Richardson knows his side escaped with the three points at the finish against a Kilkenny side that belied their place at the foot of the table.

"We gave away a daft penalty when we were cruising at 2-0 up," said Richardson. "We didn't play sensibly in the second half, but at least we didn't concede a goal. The point of the exercise was that we got the three points."

For that they must thank goalkeeper Robbie Horgan who had to make a superb tip over save from Warren Parkes in injury time. A minute earlier, substitute Brian Jordan's effort was smothered by Horgan as Kilkenny just couldn't get back into a game they really deserved to get something from.

Ultimately, four minutes of defensive frailty by Kilkenny midway through the first-half effectively ended the game as a contest.

Kilkenny manager Joe McGrath will have been furious as his side had started brightly before their defence blundered on 17 minutes.

Right-back Graham O'Hanlon, under no pressure whatsoever, was far too casual with a back pass which ran short and, as he frantically attempted to rectify his error, O'Hanlon took down the in-rushing Sean Francis. Marc Kenny sent Robbie Forde the wrong way from the resultant penalty.

Clearly rattled, it got worse for Kilkenny as they fell further behind from a corner on 21 minutes; Kenny picking out central-defender Terry Palmer who rose unchallenged to power home a header.

Apparently out of it, Kilkenny were thrown a lifeline on 36 minutes when American striker Jon Akin won a penalty as Billy Woods took him down; Fran Carter, like Kenny earlier, sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to give Kilkenny their first goal in almost nine hours of football.

Carter might have had Kilkenny level within a minute of the restart, but his shot lacked power and Horgan gathered.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Horgan; Smith, Palmer, Cronin, Woods; Kenny, Colwell, Tracey, Byrne; Grant, Francis. Subs: Robinson for Colwell (half-time), Deans for Kenny (84 mins).

KILKENNY CITY: Forde; O'Hanlon, Riordan, Mulcahy, Brunton; Parkes, McGrath, Costello, Carter; Murray, Akin. Subs: Jordan for Akin (71 mins).

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).