- Simon O'Gorman
- Sat, Jul 06 2013
Half-time substitute Ian Sweeney was the difference between the sides as Athlone Town took three deserved points from Wexford Youths at Ferrycarrig Park on Friday night.
The first half was uneventful with few incidents worth mentioning in the opening forty-five minutes. At least, from a Wexford point of view, there was little sign of the defensive uncertainty that lay behind their 4-0 defeat when these teams last met at Lisseywoolen back in early May.
There was, though, one lapse that was eerily reminiscent of that day in Athlone when Athlone fashioned the best chance of the match on 19 minutes. As with most of Athlone’s productive play it was prompted by Roddy Collins Jnr who floated in a deep and accurate cross from the left. Philly Gorman rose above two attending defenders and his sharp header forced Graham Doyle into an excellent save.
That aside it was a case of defenders being largely in control on both sides. Wexford made occasional forays down the left flank through James Dermody but the general quality of deliveries into the box was poor and both goalkeepers will have gone for the half-time cup of tea wishing it could always be like this.
Two changes were made at half-time with Shane Keegan giving Jonathan Savage his Wexford debut while Roddy Collins sent on Ian Sweeney for the visitors. It was Collin’s switch that proved decisive.
From the moment he came on Sweeney added an energy and sense of purpose to Athlone’s play and with ten minutes in to the second period his 25 yard pile driver forced Doyle into a fine tip-over. And the pressure only increased on the Wexford goal.
Doyle palmed a Neil Harney cross over his bar and Gary Delaney put in a saving tackle on Sweeney just yards from goal. Then Philip Gorman had the ball in the net, set up by Mark Hughes, but the linesman’s flag correctly ruled it out. But on 65 minutes the inevitable happened.
James O’Brien was the man to break Wexford’s resolve, piling in a shot from 20 yards that Doyle could do nothing about and within six minutes Athlone had doubled their lead, Sweeney shooting past Doyle and in off the post.
Gorman almost made it three with ten minutes remaining when he shook off two defenders before shooting just past Doyle’s far post and Wexford created a flurry of half chances late on. But the final whistle presented Athlone with three more points to put towards their continuing pursuit of near neighbours and Division leaders Longford Town.
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Craig McCabe, CJ Browne (Jonathan Savage 46), Gary Delaney, James Dermody; Thomas Croke, Caolan O’Gorman, Joe Mulcahy; Shane Nolan; Graham Delaney (Shane Clarke 64), Tom Elmes.
Subs not used: Brandon O’Callaghan, Craig Wall, Daryl Power, Dean Broaders.
Booked: Browne (30), Graham Delaney (31).
Athlone Town: Paul Skinner; Roddy Collins Jnr, Conor mcMahon, Robbie Clarke, Neil Harney (David Brookes 88); Garbhan Broughall, Niall Lanigan (Ian Sweeney 46), James O’Brien, Barry Clancy; Mark Hughes, Philip Gorman.
Subs not used: Roy King.
Booked: Lanigan (42), O’Brien (79).
Referee: Keith Callanan.
Attendance: 300 (estimate)
Extratime Man of the Match: Ian Sweeney (Athlone Town).
