League Preview: Cabinteely -v- Athlone Town

Back in December 2016 when the FAI’s Director of Competitions Mr. Fran Gavin announced that in 2017 the LOI First Division would only see one team promoted in order to go to create two ten divisions in 2018 there were serious concerns echoed by First Division clubs who felt that in the absence of the promotion playoffs a certain element of competition would be lost from this season’s first division should a runaway leader emerge from the pack like Limerick in 2016.

Well, this season’s renewal sees three protagonists Waterford, UCD and Cobh Ramblers currently occupying the top three slots in a battle to see who will go up, and already after twelve matches a gap is developing between the aforementioned trio and the other five clubs.

Tonight’s contest in Stradbrook (KO 7pm) features two of those five as Athlone Town currently residing second from bottom head to South County Dublin to take on Cabinteely who sit in fifth place and fourteen points behind first place Waterford F.C.

Even at this stage of the season with no playoff position for either side to aspire to and the comfort that no relegation exists in this league it’s fair to say that this game and many more like it between now and October in this division have taken on a certain air of inevitability as teams and supporters try to tough it out until 2018 rolls around.

CABINTEELY
Five draws and four defeats from their last nine games has seen Pat Devlin’s side lose momentum after a promising start to this season’s campaign.

Cabo were comprehensively dispatched by an accomplished performance from a well drilled Cobh side in St,Colman’s Park last weekend, this defeat was in stark contrast to the South Dublin outfit’s best performance and last victory this season when they beat Cobh 4-1 in Stradbrook at the end of March.

Athlone are a side who Cabo have had some degree of success against this term, a 3-3 draw at Lisseywollen was followed up with a 3-0 victory in the LSC.

Kieran Waters and the experienced Jason Byrne will provide the threat, the latter still looking sharp in Cobh last Friday night.

No team news has been provided by Cabo in advance of this fixture.

ATHLONE TOWN

After a promising start that saw them win their opening two games, Athlone’s season went downhill rapidly as they went on to loose seven of their next ten games to see them lying second bottom with the worst goal difference of the division. Roddy Collins takes full charge of his first game after his appointment as manager last week.

Athlone have responded relatively well on the pitch given the chaos that has been surrounding the club in recent weeks with a FAI investigation taking place amid allegations of match fixing after a three one defeat by Longford Town three weeks ago.

A victory at home to high flying Cobh followed by a battling performance in defeat against Shelbourne last week will give hope to their beleaguered fans that it may be possible to muster some faith in this group of players under the latest revision of management.

Chris Rodrigues whose brace helped defeat Cobh was impressive last week in Tolka Park and does give Athlone an attacking threat.
 

As has become the norm this season there is no team news released by the club prior to any fixture and it’s impossible to predict what eleven will start, Romanian Dragog Sfrijan and Uruguayan striker Walter Invernizzi who scored four goals for the club post his arrival in March haven’t featured in the squad since the Longford game.

Referee: David Keeler

BETTING

Cabinteely: 8/11; Draw 13/5; Athlone Town 7/2

PREDICTION

Cabinteely 2-2 Athlone Town

Cabinteely

Suspended: None

Injured: Unknown

Doubtful: Unknown

Athlone Town

Suspended: None 

Injured: Unknown

Doubtful: Unknown