- Fran Reilly
- Sun, May 08 2016
Drogheda United secured a 2-1 away win over Athlone Town on Friday night to ensure the 12 point gap between themselves and runaway First Division leaders Limerick didn't grow any greater.
With the Blues picking up their tenth win from ten league games thanks to a 3-0 victory over Cobh Ramblers on Saturday, three points for the Drogs against second-from-bottom Athlone ensured Pete Mahon's charges leapfrogged both Ramblers and Shelbourne to take second place in the table.
Limerick seem to be unstoppable at this moment in time, which means a certain scramble among the rest to secure the two promotion play-off spots. On present form, Alan Mathews' Athlone don't look like figuring in that battle despite taking an early one goal lead in this match.
Substitute Conor Barry got Athlone on the scoresheet in the 67th minute of the 2-2 draw between these sides in March. This time around, Barry made his first start of the season and it took him just 11 minutes to find the net for his third league goal of the campaign following some nice build up play from the hosts.
Despite their low position in the table, Athlone have only failed to find the net in one league game this season, in the 5-0 home defeat to Limerick at the end of March. Their problem is at the other end where, following this result, they have now conceded 23 goals from ten games – only Waterford United, sitting three points above Mathews' men thanks to Friday's 3-1 win over UCD, have conceded more in the same time (27).
As such, it was almost inevitable that Drogs would find an equaliser, which they duly did just before the half-time interval through Aaron Molloy.
The son of former St. Patrick's Athletic, Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers man Trevor demonstrated excellent composure to control a long ball from Drogs' centre-back Niall Cooney, hold off the challenge of a nearby defender and slot past 'keeper Ryan Coulter. This was Coulter's first appearance for Athlone since returning to the club after a spell with Premier Division side Sligo Rovers.
It was Molloy's second goal of the campaign following his match winner against Waterford United at the end of April. While the 19 year old is in the early stages of his time as a footballer, Drogs' winner was eventually scored by a man at the opposite end of his career, Sean Thornton.
The former Sunderland midfielder netted the first goal in that 2-2 draw between Drogheda and Athlone in March and was then stretchered off having injured his ankle in the process. He missed the next five weeks of action for his club, but the Midlanders could perhaps be forgiven for wishing his recovery had taken a little bit longer after he found the net against them again here.
It came after the hosts failed to clear their lines properly from a corner and Drogs skipper Thornton was on hand to punish them by heading home his third goal of the season in just his fourth appearance this campaign.
As the game approached stoppage time with the score still at 2-1, Mahon would have been well within his rights to be fearful given Marco Chindea was still on the pitch – it was his 91st minute intervention which snatched all three points from the Drogs earlier in the season.
However, there was to be no late drama this time as the visitors held off the expected Athlone onslaught to secure three valuable points ahead of their now massive game with Shelbourne next week.
Athlone Town: Ryan Coulter; Calvin Douglas (Ross Purdy, 80), Ian Fletcher, Simon Dixon, Jack Tuite; Conor Barry (Kevin Farragher, 78), Marco Chindea, David Cassidy (Adam Kelly, 64), Daniel Purdy, Alan O'Sullivan; Emeka Onwubiko.
Subs not used: Evan Moran (gk), Daniel Molloy, Robert Maloney, Darren Kavanagh.
Bookings: Marco Chindea (29), Emeka Onwubiko (73).
Drogheda United: Stephen McGuinness; Lloyd Buckley, Niall Cooney, Luke Gallagher, Stephen Dunne; Adam Wixted (Mark Doyle, 86), Sean Thornton, Aaron Molloy, Sean Brennan (Sam O'Connor, 90+1), Derek Doyle (Liam Donnelly, 71); Aaron Ashe.
Subs not used: Patrick Dunican (gk), Joseph Jackson, Ken Costello.
Bookings: Aaron Molloy (35), Luke Gallagher (83).
Referee: Marc Lynch.
Attendance: 158.
See Larry McQuillan's pics from the game here.
