A MARC Richards brace ensured Port Vale kicked off their Irish trip in style with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Athlone Town.

The Valiants proved too powerful for the Airtricity First Division (League of Ireland) outfit as Richards helped himself to two first-half goals.

Vale boss Micky Adams beamed: "I was delighted with the application of my players.

"We played some decent football and scored a couple of good goals.

"Some players also got through 90 minutes so that will benefit them and we move onto the next game."

Vale are in action again tomorrow when they travel to fellow First Division side Mervue United (7.30pm).

Adams's men were watched by around 25 travelling Vale fans, part of a 379-strong crowd.

The game was fast and furious early on as both sides flew into challenges before Vale out-muscled and largely out-played their committed opponents.

After just three minutes Rob Taylor dragged wide of the left-hand post from 20 yards.

Taylor then powered past defensive duo Des Hope and Mark Nolan in the 10th minute before laying the ball into the path of Marc Richards.

But the striker angled his 14-yard drive wide.

Vale looked a class apart in the attacking third as Louis Dodds's right-flank cross just evaded the onrushing Justin Richards on 14 minutes.

Vale's two Richards combined to deadly effect in the 18th minute though to hand Vale the lead. Justin Richards darted at Hope before his precise right-wing cross was converted by his namesake's powerful six-yard header.

Vale should have doubled their advantage on 32 minutes when Dodds, meeting an Adam Yates cross, could only hit a weak close-range effort into the hands of Jason Lowney.

Athlone perked up towards the end of the first half as their leading scorer Austin Skelly forced Valiants keeper Chris Martin to beat away his stinging 16-yard shot.

But Richards grabbed his second goal in the 43rd minute, by rushing onto Dodds's through ball and sweeping the ball home from 12 yards.

Vale picked up from where they left off at the start of the second period as Lowney blocked Marc Richards's tentative effort with his legs.

On 57 minutes, Martin got down well to smother Gordon Watson's eight-yard header. Soon after, Dodds's clever quick free-kick found Marc Richards who squared the ball across goal for Taylor.

However, the winger was unable to connect despite lunging at the ball on the edge of the six-yard box.

With five minutes remaining Vale substitute Tommy Fraser unleashed a fierce 25-yard volley that flew into the arms of substitute keeper Alex.

ATHLONE TOWN: Lowney (Alex, 65), Nolan (Goggins, 46), Hope, Browne (Murray, 70), Loftus (Mullane, 46), Marshall (R O'Hanlon, 46) Relihan (T O'Hanlon, 65), Williamson, Skelly (Broughal, 70), Watson (O'Reilly), O'Riordan (O'Connell, 70).

Not used: Stack, Horan, O'Connor, Gilsenan, Gaynor.

PORT VALE: Martin, Yates (Morsy 79), McCombe (Bell, 84), Owen (Sutton, 70), Collins (K Taylor, 70), Dodds, Loft, Griffith, R Taylor (Roberts, 76), J Richards (Rigg, 70), M Richards (Fraser, 76).

Not used: Tomlinson.

WINGER Lewis Haldane has left Stafford Hospital, nearly two weeks after being admitted with an ankle infection, which is thought to have been caused by an insect bite.