Athlone Town 4 - 0 Wexford Youths

Two goals from striker Philip Gorman helped Athlone Town to a comprehensive 4-0 win over Wexford Youths at Lisseywoolen on a night when the home side’s promotion ambitions will have enjoyed some positive reassessment.

Athlone remain unbeaten at home in the league and climb to third place in the table, just one point behind second placed Mervue United, but it was the emphatic manner in which they dismissed Shane Keegan’s side that will have the other First Division teams taking notice.

Athlone took command of the game from the kick-off, Philip Gorman shooting over and Ian Sweeney seeing his effort blocked after Wexford ‘keeper Graham Doyle had spilled a Barry Clancy free kick. Sweeney had another chance after nine minutes but his attempted lob was off target.

It all added up to one way traffic and Athlone took the lead on 19 minutes when the Wexford defence allowed a looping cross from Roddy Collins Jnr to reach Gorman who headed home from close range. 

Gorman then glanced a header inches wide from a Collins free kick and Garbhan Coughlan fired a magnificently hit shot against a post from 25 yards. A second goal would have been only fair and it duly arrived five minutes before the break when Coughlan collected the ball by the end-line and threaded a low pass to Ian Sweeney who finished into the roof of the net from three feet out.

Only a superb one-handed save from Doyle prevented Coughlan’s finely judged lob making it three on 44 minutes but within a minute the young forward had his goal, running on to a through ball and calmly slotting it under the advancing Doyle.

Fatal hesitancy at the back from Wexford and some clinical finishing from Athlone had combined to make the second period something of a formality but the teams remained genuinely competitive until the final stages and Wexford put in a creditably improved performance.

Eric Molloy saw Aidan Collins charge down his powerful attempt on 49 minutes and Brian Nolan pulled off a neat feint before seeing his shot cannon away off Garbhan Broughall six minutes later. But the contest was put to bed just after the hour when defensive frailty again betrayed the visitors. Two defenders stood off Coughlan, allowing him to float in a cross from the right that found Gorman at the back post, where the striker headed home from point blank range.

Wexford continued to plug away with a sense of commitment best expressed by the likes of Eric Molloy and the tireless Brian Nolan but it was Athlone who might have added to the scoreline when Ryan Coombes mishit his shot with only Doyle to beat four minutes from the end.

Athlone Town: Paul Skinner; Roddy Collins Jnr, Aidan Collins, Conor McMahon, Robbie Clarke; Ian Sweeney (Niall Lanigan 78), Garvan Broughall, Barry Clancy (Tezee Mustapha 83), Ryan Coombes; Garbhan Coughlan (Niall Scullion 73), Philip Gorman.
Subs not used: Craig Sexton, Neil Harney, Warren Conroy, David Brookes.

Bookings: Gorman (90+2).

Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Craig McCabe, Gary Delaney, Jamie Carr, James Dermody; Thomas Croke; Brian Nolan, Shane Nolan (Shaun Corcoran 30); Eric Molloy (Ian Goulding 86), Daryl Power (Glenn Hawe 64), Dean Broaders.
Subs not used: Brandon O’Callaghan, Shane Clarke.

Bookings: Delaney (7), B Nolan (34).

Referee: Simon Rogers.

Attendance: 301.

Extratime Man of the Match:  (Garbhan Coughlan).