League Preview: Athlone Town -v- Cobh Ramblers

• Gareth O'Reilly
• Thu, Mar 12 2015




 

ATHLONE TOWN

Athlone Town prepare to face Cobh Ramblers on Friday evening in the midlanders first home league game of the season.

 

Athlone almost got life back in the First Division off to the perfect start last Friday but Waterford manage to steal a point thanks to a late, late strike from Shane Nolan. To go alongside this frustration was a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Bohemians midweek in Eddie Wallace’s side’s EA Sports Cup First Round tie.

 

Gavin Boyne speaking to the Athlone Town programme prior to this weekend’s game said that his side had one aim this season, and that was to get promoted back to the Premier Division.

 

“Obviously it's one of our main aims this season as we would love to be back playing in the top league, but we need to take game by game and play like we will be the champions, little aims like that each game will get us there and get us to the first division title.”

 

Wallace is in the privileged position of having a full squad to choose from ahead of a game he hopes will see his side pick up their first win of the season.

 

 

COBH RAMBLERS

Cobh started the 2015 season in poor fashion last weekend by going down comprehensively to UCD on a score line of 3-0. However it didn’t take long for Martin Cambridge’s team to bounce back as the County Cork outfit beat Premier Division side Limerick in extra time to progress to the Second Round of the EA Sports Cup where they will face either Cork City, Waterford United or UCC.

 

This means that Cobh remain alive in all their competitions having beaten Douglas Hall, via penalties, at the end of January in the Munster Senior Cup.

 

The month of March is a busy time for SSE Airtricity League teams as some sides, such as Cobh, must play a total of six games over a three week period. Manager Cambridge will be hoping that his side can handle the growing expectations that come with signing some experienced players as they attempt to build on poor league finishes in both 2013 and 2014.

 

Referee: Eoghan O’Shea

 

 

MATCH FACTS

Cobh’s only defeat so far in all their games in 2015 has come at the hands of UCD while Athlone have suffered four defeats across their competitive and friendly fixtures.

 

In the First Division in 2013 these two sides played out three draws with Athlone managing to win the fourth fixture by a goal to nil.

 

Last season both side’s finished bottom of their respective division, although Athlone Town did manage to bag a better goal per game ratio with 35 finishes in 33 games compared to Cobh’s 24 from 28 matches.

 

 

BETTING

Athlone Town 4/7; Draw 13/5; Cobh Ramblers 9/2.

 

PREDICTION

Athlone Town 2-1 Cobh Ramblers

 

 

Athlone Town

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

 

Cobh Ramblers

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: Unknown.

Suspended: None.