EA SPORTS CUP: Athlone Town 0-1 Longford Town
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Longford Town defeated Midlands rivals Athlone Town in the first round of the EA Sports Cup as Gary Shaw’s 71st minute strike settled this poor encounter at the Athlone Town Stadium on Monday night.
There was nothing classic about this El Clasico. Neither side really got a proper hold on proceedings but as the game wore on it did look like Longford were the more likely to score.
It was Longford who had the first opportunity on goal; Kevin O’Connor’s low drive in the fourth minute hit the butt of the post, rolled along the line but Athlone were able to clear.
They created a few half chances after that but nothing to trouble Athlone keeper Craig Sexton. Athlone’s first real effort came in the 25th minute but Kealan Dillon ballooned his shot over the bar instead of taking the ball down before shooing.
Down at the other end David O’Sullivan shot over the Athlone bar and then, in the 29th minute, another great chance fell Athlone’s way. Graham Rusk found himself in a good position but Longford keeper Paul Hunt rushed out and put the player off. The chance was then gone for the home side.
In the 31st minute Longford’s Kevin O’Connor hit a rasping shot that got a slight deflection for a corner. Longford had the ball in the back of the net four minutes from the break but Lorcan Shannon’s effort was ruled out for offside. Unfortunately for Longford it was the right call.
Dillon had another opportunity in the 55th minute for Athlone; James O’Brien hit a long ball forward to Dillon who lobbed the ball over Hunt but it bounced just wide.
As the game wore on Longford came more into it and began to pile on the pressure. It was to pay off in the 71st minute when they broke the deadlock; Sexton could only parry O’Sullivan’s shot and the loose ball fell to Shaw who made no mistake with a powerful strike.
Minutes later O’Sullivan could’ve doubled his side’s advantage but the Athlone netminder denied him with a good save.
In the final few minutes Athlone pressed hard to get an equaliser to bring the game to extra-time. Their best chance came one minute from time but Hunt excellently tipped O’Brien’s shot over the crossbar and from the corner Conor McMahon fired over.
Athlone Town: Craig Sexton; Neil Harney (Mark Hughes 56), Conor McMahon, Aidan Collins, Barry Clancy; Kealan Dillon, Sean Byrne (Sean Brennan 81), Alan Byrne, James O’Brien; Graham Rusk (Philip Gorman 72), Jason Marks.
Subs not used: Paul Skinner, Ian Sweeney, Declan Brennan, Derek Prendergast, David Brookes.
Bookings: Clancy (70).
Longford Town: Paul Hunt; Pat Sullivan, Pat Flynn, Chris Deans (Glenn O’Connor 69), Willie Tyrrell; Lorcan Shannon (Don Cowan 63), Stephen Rice, Rhys Gorman, Kevin O’Connor; Gary Shaw, David O’Sullivan.
Subs not used: David McNamara, Jamie Mulhall, Peter Hynes, Dylan Nolan, Lee Higgins.
Referee: Neil Doyle.
Attendance: 328
