Athlone Town take the rocky road to Wexford’s Ferrycarrig Park tonight (Friday September 30 ) following last week’s 2-0 home defeat to league leaders Shelbourne.
With the league drawing closer to its conclusion in a few weeks the Lissywollen lads will welcome Mervue United, and travel to Limerick in a bid to add to their seven wins and 28 points.
The Town went down fighting at the hands of Shelbourne after conceding a Conan Byrne goal and after being reduced to ten men with the dismissal of centre half Paul Danagher. The sting in the tail arrived via a late Philly Hughes header with five minutes remaining.
Athlone appeals for a late penalty went unheard as Tipperary referee James McKell issued a yellow card to substitute Davy Ryan for diving.
Following Athlone’s 2-0 win over Longford Town in their previous fixture at Flancare Park, Mike Kerley’s side will be optimistic if Wexford’s league form this season is anything to go by. They share bottom spot with Salthill Devon, being kept off the league’s floor on goal average having played one more game.
Athlone will want to keep the pressure on Mervue with the Galway side due to visit the Midlands club and as the sides go into their respective fixtures this weekend, with just three points separating the teams in the Tribesmen’s favour. The Town are also just five points behind fifth-placed Waterford United and following the results elsewhere in the past few months, anything is possible.
Athlone Town u18s v Leicester Celtic
There was better news for Michael Collins’ Athlone Town u18s. They were most impressive last Sunday when they travelled to Carpenterstown in Dublin before handing Castleknock Celtic a 2-0 defeat in the Leinster Youths cup first round.
Ian Sweeney and Andy Nevin both hit the target with well-taken goals.
On Sunday next Collins takes his side to Dublin for the away game with Leicester Celtic in the DDSL league. They are level on points with Dundalk FC with two wins from three outings, while they have a game in hand over second-placed Bohemians who have nine points to Athlone’s six.
Earlier this month Athlone progressed to the second round of the super Ferry Cup with goals from Darragh Donnelly and Ray Connellan against Shelbourne at Lissywollen.
