- Fran Reilly
- Sat, Apr 25 2015
Gavin Boyne's first goal since signing for Athlone Town in the off-season was enough to give the Midlands side a vital 1-0 victory over Waterford United in Lissywollen.
The former St. Patrick's Athletic midfielder's 75th minute header was the difference as Eddie Wallace's side won for the first time in three games, bouncing back from 1-0 defeats to Wexford Youths and Finn Harps and last week's disappointing 2-2 home draw with Cabinteely.
Though Athlone's equaliser against Cabo was a 94th minute Philly Gorman penalty, Youths' 7-0 victory over the Southsiders only serves as a reminder that Wallace's charges cannot afford to drop points against sides in the bottom half of the table if they are to seriously challenge for promotion this season.
With Harps maintaining their unbeaten start to the campaign with a 1-0 win against Shelbourne in Finn Park, the gap between third placed Athlone and the table topping Ballybofey side remains at six points, with Youths just one point above the Town in second.
Waterford, meanwhile, remain at the bottom of the table with just one win in their eight league games so far – the 2-1 victory over Wexford Youths in Ferrycarrig Park on the second day of the season. Shane Keegan's side will provide the opposition again in their next game in the RSC and with a trip to Harps to follow, Blues fans will be wondering where their next three points is coming from.
Tommy Griffin's side struggled to impose themselves on this game from the start, with Athlone having the bulk of the chances. Striker Sam O'Connor thought he had put the home side ahead just before the half hour mark, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
It took the country's oldest League of Ireland club 75 minutes to finally take one of their chances, and it was Boyne who broke the deadlock. Gary Burke latched onto a long ball from Derek Doyle and crossed for the 20 year old, who only celebrated his birthday last week, to head beyond the helpless Matthew Connor in the Blues goal.
Despite dominating for much of the game, Athlone were nearly made to pay for their numerous missed chances when United almost equalised. Brian Shortall was booked for a foul just outside the area in the 81st minute and Anthony McAlavey bent the resulting free-kick narrowly wide of the target.
Substitute Garbhan Coughlan – who had been introduced for Marco Chindea in the 66th minute after the midfielder had suffered a blood injury which stained the number 24 blood jersey he was already wearing – thought he had scored his fifth goal of the season three minutes from time, but his close range effort crashed off the underside of the crossbar and came back out.
The missed chances proved to be of little consequence as the one goal was enough for Athlone to take all three points. Their next league game is a trip to Cobh Ramblers, but before that they have to negotiate a home tie against Shamrock Rovers in the Leinster Senior Cup on Tuesday.
Athlone Town: Shane Cusack; Brian Shortall, Stephen Dunne, Aidan Collins (Michael Brown, 88), Stephen Quigley; Derek Doyle, Gavin Boyne, Marco Chindea (Garbhan Coughlan, 66), Robbie Gaul; Gary Burke, Sam O'Connor.
Subs not used: Patrick Dunican (gk), Daniel Molloy, Sean French, Thomas Mulroney, Daniel Purdy.
Bookings: Shortall (81).
Waterford United: Matthew Connor; Shaun Corcoran, Patrick Fitzgerald, Craig Burns (Shane Dineen, 37); Anthony McAlavey, Ross Fitzpatrick, Brian Nolan, Sean Hurley, Mark Walsh (Dean Reidy, 72); Jack Doherty (Glen Hawe, 59), Willie John Kiely.
Subs not used: Robert Birdsall (gk), Shane Nolan, Greg Peel, Mikie Rowe.
Bookings: B. Nolan (55), Kiely (62).
Referee: Adriano Reale.
Attendance: 225
