First Division Play Off Report: Wexford 0 - 0 Athlone Town (Athlone win 1-0 on agg)

Patrick O’ Connor reports from Ferrycarrig Park.

A generally scrappy game at Ferrycarrig Park on Monday afternoon did end in a welter of excitement as Athlone Town held on for a scoreless draw with Wexford, a result which sends them through to the Promotion Play-Off Final against Bray Wanderers next Saturday. 

They held a 1-0 lead from the first leg at Lissywollen and it proved to be enough to see them across the line in Wexford and to extend their season at least until next Saturday in Dalymount Park (kick-off 4pm).

This was a game which never rose above the mediocre and it was scrappy and stop start for all but the last 15 minutes when the home team went in search of an equaliser which unfortunately for them never arrived.

The very narrow pitch did no favours to either side and both players and supporters alike were frustrated with the number of stoppages for throw ins in particular.

Wexford came into the game without Ethan Boyle who was ruled out due to a suspension and they had to deal with a further set back in the 22^nd minute when Boyle’s deputy as a defensive midfielder, Kian Corbally, had to leave the field due to injury.

Athlone Town started the better of the two sides but from the 15^th minute onwards the home team began to assert their superiority, mainly through the bustling wing play of Thomas Oluwa on the left flank.

Wexford’s best chance of a goal in the first half fell to Aaron Dobbs in the 32^nd minute, when, after being set up by Oluwa and Corbally’s replacement Conor Crowley, he dragged his shot badly wide when it seemed easier to hit the target.

The Town also had a good chance as the first half drew to a close but Kyle Robinson’s effort from the edge of the box was high and wild and did not trouble Conor Walsh in the Wexford goal.

The standard of fare in the second period did not improve and both sides were guilty of missing reasonably clear-cut chances.

Wexford’s Luca Lovic was set up for a shot by Divin Isamala in the 63^rd minute but he blazed over the bar while Athlone’s Brian Torre had a superb shot tipped onto the crossbar by keeper Enda Minogue in the 77^th minute.

Wexford did bombard the Athlone defence during the last quarter of an hour plus injury time, spurred on by a vociferous home crowd, and there were a few moments when it seemed like they would get the equaliser their overall performance probably deserved.

In the 84^th minute Mikey Rowe thought he had scored but Torre did superbly well to get back and clear the ball off the goal line, while in injury time Isamala rose above everybody to direct a header goalwards but agonisingly it went outside the post.

In the end, that equalising goal which would have taken the tie to extra-time did not come and so ended Wexford’s 2024 campaign.

Athlone’s season is still alive however and they make the short journey to Dublin on Saturday to face The Seagulls for the right to challenge Drogheda United in the Promotion/ Relegation play off final in Richmond Park on November 16^th.

Wexford: Conor Walsh; Divin Isamala, Darragh Levingston, Sean McHale, Lewis Temple; James Crawford (Mikie Walsh-Rowe 60), Mark Hanratty, Luka Lovic (Cian Curtis 66); Kian Corbally (Conor Crowley 22), Aaron Dobbs, Thomas Oluwa (Kaylem Harnett 78).
Subs not used: Alex Moody, Benjamin Lynch, Reece Webb, Cian O'Malley, Adam Lennon.
Booked: Lewis Temple (32), Mikie Walsh-Rowe (79), Darragh Levingston (82), Aaron Dobbs (95).

Athlone Town: Enda Minogue; German Fuentes Rodriguez, Dylan Hand, Daniel McKenna, Brian Torre; Oisin Duffy (Armado Oakley 45), Gideon Tetteh (Agbo Babatunde 83), Noah van Geenen (Aaron Connolly 46); Dean Ebbe, Leo Gaxha, Kyle Robinson ( Jamar Campion – Hinds  78)
Subs not used: Andrew Trainor, Shane Forbes, Wedu Batlokwa, Roscoe Rubenstein, Peter McGregor, Mark Huynh.
Booked: Noah van Geenen (33), Kyle Robinson (75).

Referee: Alan Patchell
Attendance: 1,251
extratime.com Player of the Match: Brian Torre (Athlone Town)

First Division Playoff Report: UCD 1 - 0 Bray Wanderers (Bray win 2-1 on agg) https://t.co/RxPy1rGjlRpic.twitter.com/B1Gx1aHPZD

— extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) October 28, 2024