Some four months after their last competitive outing, Athlone Town finally return to competitive action.
Play in the SSE Airtricity league Premier Division got underway last weekend with the First Division now kicking off on Friday night. It is not the most difficult of opening fixtures for Adrian Carberry’s men who take on UCD at the Belfield Bowl.
Athlone wrapped up their pre-season preparations with a visit to the Markets Field to take on new boys Treaty United. A week earlier the teams had played out a scoreless draw but there was three goals in the return in the Town’s seventh pre-season outing.
All the goals came in the opening half as the hosts raced into a two goal lead by the midway point. New signing Kurtis Byrne reduced the deficit close to the half time break from the penalty spot. Athlone though could not draw level as Treaty celebrated winning their first ever men’s game.
Focus now turns to the real action in a 27 game league which will hopefully for Athlone stretch into the play offs in November. UCD finished third in 2020 but were knocked out in the play offs by Longford Town who went on to gain promotion. The students had the edge over Athlone last season, winning both games in a truncated campaign.
The first game in Belfield last August saw College finish with just nine men but still held out to claim all three points. Lee Duffy had opened the scoring against the hosts who further suffered when reduced to ten men. An equaliser from the penalty spot in first half stoppage time shook Athlone as UCD made light of their numerical disadvantage. A second goal from Yoyo Mahdy put UCD in front as two further red cards, including one to Athlone’s Ciaran Grogan, failed to unsettle the hosts.
The return game last October saw Athlone again take the lead but still end up empty handed. Jack Reynolds sent the Town into half time with a narrow advantage but three goals on the resumption of play had UCD in front. Ronan Manning reduced the deficit but the Students sealed victory late on.
It will be a much changed Athlone team that will take the field on Friday. Just Scott Delaney, Taner Dogan, Tumelo Tlou, Reynolds and Mark Birrane survive from the last time the teams met.
One of the Town’s new signings will not feature as Jonathan Carlin carried an automatic suspension picked up playing with previous club Cabinteely. Adam Lennon was then in the home team but will line up in opposition colours having gained a scholarship to Belfield.
Another familiar face will be in the UCD dug out as Andy Myler heads into his second season in charge of College, a record breaking scoring spell putting him in the ‘legend’ category for supporters of a certain vintage.
Carberry will be hoping that the current squad create their own bit of history and the early signs are that the Town will be very competitive.
