- Paul Mehigan
- Sat, Mar 22 2008
If the US government needs a foolproof method of torture then they should contact the FAI to have copies of this game shipped to Guantanamo Bay. In difficult conditions both teams took a point that their performances, in isolation, scarcely deserved.
It could have been so different had Noel McGee applied the finishing touches to his good work before the third minute had even rolled out of bed. The Blues’ defence was left so open that a big red articulated truck could comfortably have fit between Kenny Browne and David Breen. McGee beautifully rolled the latter but with the goal at his mercy, Robbie Clarke appeared from nowhere to produce a wonderful saving tackle.
Within three minutes the home-side had Waterford under pressure again when McCartney’s free kick was headed wide by an unmarked McGee. With Waterford struggling to get themselves or the ball beyond the half-way line, Athlone swarmed all over them and Davy Byrne grazed the crossbar with a stinging drive after McCartney’s corner was poorly cleared in the 15th minute.
The rest of the first-half was mind numbingly poor but in the players’ defence, the conditions were hardly conducive to aesthetically pleasing football. Waterford’s best moment of the first period came after 30 minutes from an inswinging Kevin Waters corner that Ciaran Kelly fumbled only to be rescued by Nigel Keady with Browne lurking.
If the first-half was dominated, territorially at least, by a gale-assisted Athlone, then Waterford did likewise after the break. Again Kelly’s handling was shown to be suspect when he needed two attempts to gather Dave Warren’s 30 yard free kick in the 47th minute. Warren also troubled Kelly on the hour with a powerful strike after being teed up by Vinny Sullivan.
Those chances aside, Sheridan and Keady dealt comfortably with the Waterford threat. With little else doing, United indulged themselves in a spot of acting that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the set of Home and Away. Within seconds of each other Paul McCarthy and Kenny Browne fell to the ground with ham-fisted melodrama after nothing challenges. Both fooled the referee into awarding free kicks.
From one of those, the lively Michael Foley delivered an inch-perfect ball for Luke Fitpatrick who directed his header over the bar thus squandering the games’ best opportunity.
An under-pressure Athlone took advantage of the lack of ball boys that meant the periphery of their pitch acted as the Midlands’ version of the Bermuda Triangle. Balls went out of play and were never seen again. It was a situation that caused multiple stoppages and drew the ire of both sets of supporters.
Nonetheless, Waterford drove forward in search of the winning goal. On 86 minutes Foley’s clever flick released David Grincell and the lively striker unleashed a powerful effort. As the net momentarily bulged, a section of the Waterford fans believed that Grincell had broken the deadlock but their joy was short lived when it became apparent that the number twelve had succeeded only in finding the side-netting.
Waterford had one more opportunity to pilfer the three points when Foley unshackled Karl Bermingham with a sublime through-ball in injury time. The striker jinked past one tackle but his effort was deflected behind for a corner. Almost immediately, Rogers blew for full time putting the sparse crowd out of their misery. It was an act of mercy on the part of the official. On only one previous occasion has greater suffering been inflicted on Good Friday.
Athlone Town: Ciaran Kelly; Ian Rossiter, Robbie Hamm, Jim Sheridan, Nigel Keady; Levi Tierney, Philip Reilly, David Byrne, Jason McCartney; Eric Lavine (Padraig Moran, 80), Noel McGee (David O’Dowd, 68).
Subs not used: Lee Gaffey, Colm Jinks.
Booked: Reilly, Keady, O’Dowd, Sheridan.
Waterford United: Packie Holden; Kieran Fitzgerald, Kenny Browne, David Breen, Robbie Clarke; Dave Warren, Luke Fitzpatrick (Gary Dunphy, 80), Paul McCarthy, Kevin Waters (Michael Foley, 59); Vinny Sullivan (David Grincell, 75), Karl Bermingham.
Subs not used: Stephen Quigley, John Hayes.
Booked: Sullivan, Warren, Fitzgerald
Referee: Rob Rogers.
