ATHLONE TOWN made it two wins from two home games on Sunday afternoon, when they convincingly beat Wexford Youths 3 - 0 in the first ever encounter between the two sides.

In a game where Stevie Gavin made his 100th appearance for the Club, the home side were always in control, with Danny O'Leary rarely called into action.

Town showed their intent from the off, when Noel McGee flashed a shot across the face of goal after just two mintes.

Stevie Gavin showed great trickery on the right wing before crossing to Colm Heffernan on 12 minutes, but the left winger put his volley wide from an awkward position.

Paul McTiernan was next to go close just a minute later, when he turned sharply in the box before crashing his shot off the outside of the near post and wide.

Town had a great chance to take the lead after twenty minutes. Colm Heffernan cut inside and played a one-two with Noel McGee in the box, but delayed just too long in getting his shot away and was crowded out of it by the visiting defenders when a goal looked on the cards.

On 26 minutes, Stevie Gavin flicked a header just inches over the bar from Davy Byrne's cross, after a period of sustained pressure.

Athlone finally got the goal their play deserved on 35 minutes. Colm Heffernan floated a free-kick in from the left wing, and despite looking like going in unaided, centre-half Jim Sheridan has claimed the goal! The video evidence is being analysed.

Noel McGee might have doubled Athlone's advantage six minutes before the break, when, after receiving a good ball from Paul McTiernan, he did the hard work of rounding the keeper but had to watch as Anthony Russell took his shot off the line.

The vistors had a rare attack four minutes before the break when they got into the Town box from the right, but the move eventually broke down and Danny O'Leary comfortably collected the ball.

Five minutes into the second half, Town had what looked a certain penalty waved away by referee Neil Doyle when Noel McGee was crudely taken down in the box.

Davy Byrne made a burst from midfield a minute later and lifted his shot just over the bar. However, Athlone did double their advantage on 52 minutes, with McGee getting his second goal in two games.

Striking partner Paul McTiernan set up the goal with a quickly taken free just inside the Wexford half, but McGee did well to slot the ball past the advancing 'keeper Jason Russell and squeeze the ball just inside the post.

Wexford made a double substitution on 58 minutes, with Jason Murphy and Diarmuid Fitzpatrick replacing Tom Elmes and Paul Malone respectively. Town also made a change at this time, with Ryan Casey making his first appearance of the season, replacing Darren Young at left-back.

Five minutes later, Jim Sheridan got on the end of a Casey cross and sent it goalbound. With Noel McGee rushing in on the ball to make sure, a goal looked certain until it was hooked off the line at the last possible moment.

Wexford made their third substitution on 68 minutes when Timmy Bolger replaced Ben Brosnan. Two minutes later Noel McGee and century-man Stevie Gavin made way for Dave O'Dowd and Eric Lavine respectively.

John Flynn had the visitors best chance of the game on 74 minutes when he broke into the Town box, but Town 'keeper Danny O'Leary was equal to his challenge and pulled off a great save.

Mixie Harty tried his luck from 25 yards two minutes later, but had his shot pushed around the post for a corner by Wexford 'keeper Jason Russell. That was Russell's last act in the game, as he went off injured with ten minutes remaining. With all their subs already used, John Flynn donned the gloves and took over goalkeeping duties.

Paul McTiernan's shot from an acute angle went just wide on 83 minutes, before Town grabbed their third with just four minutes remaining of the regulation 90. Colm Heffernan's cross from the right wasn't cleared, and that man Dave O'Dowd poked the ball home from close range for his third goal of the season.

Speaking to athlonetownfc.com after the game, Town manager Michael O'Connor wasn't getting carried away with the win.

"You're still going to have people saying, 'It's only Wexford', but that's all we can do - go out and win games whether they are against Wexford, Shelbourne or Dundalk, it doesn't matter, they are the same three points. I keep saying that.

"We have a good team here. Not just the eleven that play. Guys like Des Hope haven't even got a game yet, and these are very good players. We have a great team here.

"Look, it's three games in, we're second in the table and we play the team on top on Thursday. We're playing good stuff, I'm looking forward to Dundalk,," he concluded.

ATHLONE TOWN: Danny O'Leary, Ian Rossiter, Darren Young, Ronan Frawley, Jim Sheridan, Michael Harty, Steven Gavin, Davy Byrne, Noel McGee, Paul McTiernan, Colm Heffernan. SUBS: Ryan Casey for Young (59), Dave O'Dowd for McGee (70), Eric Lavine for Gavin (70).

WEXFORD YOUTHS: Jason Russell, Anthony Russell, Conor Sinnott, Marty Kelly, Ben Brosnan, Liam O'Loughlin, Tom Elmes, John Flynn, Paul Malone, Garrett Larkin, Stuart Lawlor. SUBS: Jason Murphy for Elmes (58), Diarmuid Fitzpatrick for Malone (58), Timmy Bolger for Brosnan.

REFEREE: Neil Doyle