Jubilant Athlone Town won the club's first FAI Cup final in 99 years after beating Women's Cup holders Shelbourne in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

With the score at 4-3 in the shoot-out at Tallaght Stadium, Alex Kavanagh was the unfortunate Reds player to miss with the 10th spot-kick.

Earlier, Maddie Gibson had hit the post with the opening penalty to give the Reds an early advantage.

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But Shels' keeper Amanda McQuillan - making her 100th appearance for the club - fired her team's second spot-kick over the top.

And, with the rest of the penalty takers successful, Kavanagh was denied by the woodwork and Shels' hopes of sending manager Noel King off with a second FAI Cup success to go with two League titles over his three year tenure were denied.

It was a nail-biting finish to a thrilling decider, the second between the clubs in a year, and it proved to be sweet revenge for the midlanders after Shels claimed a 2-0 victory in the 2022 final.

It was also a day for the super subs as first Jemma Quinn looked to have won it for Shels - scoring twice after coming on in the 64th minute to cancel out golden boot winner Dana Scheriff's deserved 33rd minute opener for Athlone.

Quinn's first brought the final to extra-time for the first time in eight years - and then it looked as if she won it for the Tolka Park outfit with a superb second in the 104th minute.

However two of Athlone's replacements, Muireann Devaney and Gillian Keenan, had other ideas.

Starters in last year's final, the pair combined with just five minutes of extra-time remaining to bring the contest to penalties. The rest is history as the midlanders celebrated a gutsy victory.

This was a season of transition for both clubs, with top players on both sides moving on and 16 players in total from last year's squads moving on ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Shels lost a cohort of regulars to Shamrock Rovers - and their league title to Peamount.

They started today's final with six starters from last year's decider while Rachel Graham, who came off the bench 12 months ago, came in from the start for her 250th appearance for the club.

Athlone had only three starters with the same status from the 2023 decider, with three more on the bench - and with a new manager in Ciaran Kilduff, who replaced Tommy Hewitt in the summer.

Athlone conceded after six minutes in last year's final and never recovered but it was a different story this time as they made the early running.

A Chloe Singleton header might have troubled McQuillan but Keevan Keenan was in the right place to block anyway, and there was no-one there to meet Jesi Rossman's centre across the six yard box.

A crunching tackle by Noelle Murray on Kellie Brennan got Shels moving. But a promising counter by the Reds, as Murray and Megan Smyth-Lynch combined, was accidentally halted as the ref Marc Lynch who got in Smyth-Lynch's way.

At the other end, Gibson played a one-two with Lauren Karabin, but Gibson's shot from outside the box was straight at McQuillan.

Similarly, Athlone skipper Laurie Ryan's crossfield pass found the American Gibson in space but her early shot was comfortably taken by the Reds keeper.

Shels enjoyed some good spells of possession but Athlone continued to threaten and, from a break from inside their own area, the midlanders came close when Scheriff, their other US-born and bred attacker - found Karabin on the right and her low cross evaded everyone in the six-yard box.

Still, it was Shels who came closest to opening the scoring in the 25th minute.

Rossman lost possession in her own half to 15-year-old Hannah Healy and the Cup final debutant squared for Murray, playing in her 10th decider.

The 33-year-old's first time shot was destined for the bottom corner but Rossman somehow recovered to get in a vital deflection that took the ball wide of the far post.

It was a let-off for sure - and Athlone took advantage of their good fortune eight minutes later.

Singleton raced onto Roisin Molloy's incisive pass down the right flank and, under pressure, Shels defender Maggie Pierce miskicked Singleton's cross against the post.

Scheriff was in the right place to tap into the net with McQuillan stranded.

In response, Shels upped the tempo and the contest became more physical.

Smyth-Lynch was booked before Christie Gray followed her into the notebook, her knee catching Athlone's goalkeeper Katie Keane in the face with a sliding challenge in a race for the loose ball.

And the half ended badly for Shels and for Smyth-Lynch, with the all-action winger forced off injured after a clash of shins. Kerri Letmon replaced her.

After a scrappy start to the half right-back Town's Shauna Brennan, who had produced three superb tackles down her side, was the next to be booked for what was her first misdemeanour.

From the resultant free, Pierce's overhead kick attempt caught Singleton on the face but the energetic Athlone striker was OK to continue.

The midlanders countered moments later and Karabin's whipped cross was inches too high for the onrushing Molloy, before the experienced Devaney replaced Karabin in the 58th minute.

Athlone kept pressing, searching for the cushion of a second goal, and Gibson's corner as the hour mark approached was met firmly by Singleton. McQuillan expertly saved.

Shels almost restored parity in the 65th minute. Kavanagh's chip into the box caused havoc as the Athlone defenders hesitated and Quinn, who was only just on the pitch for Gray, challenged keeper Keane.

The ball fell to Murray but, on the turn, the striker lobbed over the top.

In response, Shine's long ball arrowed towards the unmarked Gibson but the striker couldn't get the all important touch from close range.

Shels, however, were finally getting a grip on proceedings and, somehow, Leah Doyle's far post header went the wrong side of the post from a Murray corner.

But the equaliser came when Pierce turned and fired in what was meant as a cross but Keane, to her horror, realised was heading inside the near post.

The 17-year-old could only parry and Quinn was right there to sweep the rebound home on the volley.

It made for a dramatic finish in regulation time. Gibson let fly twice in quick succession from outside the box - the first clipped the crossbar, the second zipped past the woodwork.

But there was still time for Quinn to again threaten, her turn and shot forcing Keane into a good save down to her left.

So, on to extra time and the first period was a cagey affair, with Shels losing Doyle to injury and Singleton's long range effort covered by McQuillan the only moments of note.

But then Shels conjured up what they hoped was the match-winning move and, not surprisingly, Murray and skipper Pearl Slattery were at the heart of it.

Centre-back Slattery was the furthest player forward for the Reds and Murray picked her out.

Slattery laid it on a plate for Quinn, who needed no second invitation to have a pop and Keane had no chance as the shot flew past her.

But Athlone weren't done yet and, when Devaney's cross found Keenan ahead of Shels' Rebecca Devereux, she kept her cool and beat McQuillan to send the game to penalties.

Athlone Town: Keane; K Brennan, Shine, Rossman, S Brennan (Slevin 71); L Ryan (I Ryan 105), Karabin (Devaney 58); Gibson, Molloy (Keenan 98), Singleton; Scheriff.

Shelbourne: McQuillan, Keenan, Slattery, Pierce, Doyle (Devereux 99); Kavanagh, Graham (Clare 77); Gray (Quinn 64), Healy, Smyth-Lynch (Letmon 45), Murray.

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