Athlone Town 2 - 2 Dundalk

A superb double strike from Noel McGee gave Athlone Town an unlikely but well deserved share of the spoils against league leaders Dundalk on Monday night, as the Lilywhites threw away a two-goal lead and the chance to move five points clear at the top of the eircom League of Ireland First Division table.

Well taken early goals from wingers Derek Doyle and Jamie Duffy appeared to have set Dundalk on the road back to winning ways. However, after they missed a glorious chance to hit a third, the Oriel outfit were left stunned by McGee’s brace, as the forward scored in either half. Doyle netted his first goal in Dundalk colours as the visitors got off to a dream start by hitting the front after only three minutes. Duffy, the club’s leading scorer in the league, then doubled their advantage as he chipped Athlone ‘keeper Ciaran Kelly from inside the box to hit his eighth goal of the season.

Those strikes appeared to give the Lilywhites a comfortable lead, however, after Dessie Baker wasted a great chance to finish the game midway through the half, Athlone hit back through a wonderful McGee volley. They then went close on a number of occasions, but had to wait until the 70-minute mark to find a deserved leveller as their star hitman fired another cracking effort to the bottom corner.

For the trip to his former club, Dundalk manager John Gill made just one change to the team that so tamely went down to Limerick the previous Friday week. Left winger Derek Doyle, who missed the trip to Shannonside with a viral infection, was recalled to the starting line-up at the expense of Paul Shiels. With Paul Crowley suspended for Thursday’s visit of Kildare County, it is believed that that was the reason behind the midfielder sitting this one out.

Elsewhere, Dundalk remained the same as they continued without injured foursome Robbie Martin, Tiarnán Mulvenna, Robbie Farrell and Aidan Lynch. Dundalk started brightly and broke the deadlock with less than three minutes on the watch. A defensive mistake allowed Derek Doyle to steal in behind the home defence and he planted a wonderful shot beyond the Athlone netminder for his first ever club goal after signing in the July transfer window. After a quiet spell which seen Athlone try desperately to respond, they were hit with another sucker punch on 19 minutes as Dundalk made it 2-0. A superb through ball by David Cassidy put Jamie Duffy in behind, and, with the ‘keeper hesitating, the winger chipped an effort over him and off the inside of the post, with the ball turned home by Robbie Hamm.

Soon after, Dundalk should have put the game to bed when Dessie Baker cut in from the right. However, after delaying, the striker dragged his shot wide of Kelly’s left-hand post. And, the Lilywhites were made to pay for that miss when Athlone got back into the game just shy of the half-hour. A harshly awarded free-kick was swung in by Joey Maloney and headed clear by John Flanagan. However, the ball only dropped as far as Noel McGee, who met it on the full volley and found the corner of the net with a powerful shot.

The hosts then nearly equalised on 34 minutes. Maloney again caused problems, with his magnificent long-range effort, which seemed destined for the top corner, tipped over brilliantly by Bennion.

With Athlone now in total control, they began to threaten more and more, and they should have made it 2-2 just a minute before the interval. Cassidy attempted to put a stop to a fast break, however, the referee played advantage, with Hamm being put clear on goal. However, with just Bennion standing between the defender and an equaliser for the midlanders, his shot was deflected by the body of the Scottish netminder, before Ben Whelehan was called upon to clear the ball off the line and behind for a corner kick. Following a quiet and uninspiring second-half, Dundalk surrendered their lead with just twenty minutes to go as Athlone converted the only clear chance of the second-half.

Terrible defensive play by the visitors gave McGee plenty of time and space on the edge of the area, and he exploited it excellently to fire to Bennion’s bottom right-hand corner. Moments later, Duffy tried to respond at the other end but fired narrowly wide of goal, and with that went the final opportunity of the night.

Dundalk now lead the standings by three points, however, second-placed Waterford United have a game in hand - that being against Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Monday 22 September.

Athlone Town: Ciaran Kelly; Ian Rossiter, Des Hope, Nigel Keady, Robbie Hamm; Joey Maloney (Jason McCartney 79), Philip Reilly, Colm Jinks, Carmine Russo; Eric Lavine, Noel McGee (Kevin Dunne 85).
Subs not used: Lee Gaffey (GK), Anthony Hayes, Darren Young.

Booked: Lavine (47), Jinks (88).
 

Dundalk: Chris Bennion; John Flanagan, Ian Ryan (Paul Marney 73), Ben Whelehan, David Crawley; Jamie Duffy, Paul Crowley, David Cassidy, Derek Doyle (Paul Shiels 57); Dessie Baker, Paul Smyth (Trevor Vaughan 63).
Subs not used: Aaron Shanahan (GK), Davie O’Connor.

Booked: Doyle (23), Cassidy (44), Shiels (66).
 

Referee: Paul Caschera (Kildare).

Attendance: 300 (estimate)