COBH RAMBLERS 1 ATHLONE TOWN 3
Last Friday night’s game for Athlone Town against fellow strugglers Cobh Ramblers at St Colman’s Park was the proverbial six pointer.
Just goal difference separated the teams on the league table but a second win in a row now puts the Town three points clear of their Munster opponents. Athlone opened the scoring through Thomas Oluwa and doubled their advantage before half time through an Aaron Connolly free kick. Patrick Hickey made it three nil just after the hour mark and although Cobh did reduce the deficit from the penalty spot, Athlone held firm.
The visitors were quickly on the offensive and earned the first corner kick of the game with just 15 seconds gone. Cobh’s Beineoin O’Brien Whitmarsh then fired across goal from the left with a first home corner kick soon following. Gary Armstrong shot wide for Athlone but the Rams had a great chance to open the scoring on 13 minutes when a free kick taken by Jason Abbott was heading for the top corner of the net but Enda Minogue pulled off a great save.
Athlone then took the lead after 18 minutes, Armstrong playing in Oluwa who squeezed the ball between the Cobh keeper Paul Hunt and his post. Athlone proceeded to dominate the remainder of the first half as Oisin Duffy had a shot blocked with Charles Mutawe then firing wide. Cobh were struggling at this stage with Duffy and Mutawe having further chances for the Town, the visitor’s lead deservedly doubling on the stroke of half time. Adam Lennon was fouled some 35 yards out from the Cobh goal. Connolly took aim with the free kick which flew past Hunt into the net. It was a good time to score.
The first chance of the second half saw Luke Desmond fire over with Jake Hegarty also off target as Cobh looked to bounce back. Athlone responded however and made it three nil on 63 minutes. A free kick was cleared by the Cobh defence but the ball was played back into the penalty area where Hickey ghosted in to score. It looked to have secured victory for the visitors.
Cobh recovered though and were handed a lifeline with 12 minutes left to play when a foul just inside the box saw a penalty being awarded. O’Brien Whitmarsh made no mistake with a well struck spot kick which sent the Town keeper the wrong way. Cobh’s fortunes had now taken a turn for the better as substitute Liam Kervick found a way past Minogue but Noah VanGeenen got back to clear.
Cobh captain John Kavanagh came close from the corner as his glancing header flashed past the post. A grandstand finish was in prospect had either chance been put away. Cobh kept pushing to further reduce the deficit on Athlone but the visitors held firm. O’Brien Whitmarsh had a further chance with substitute Pierce Phillips firing into the side netting.
The home team ran out of ideas though and even with an additional five minutes to play with, could not find a way past the Athlone rear-guard.
