- Robbie Fahy
- Sat, Aug 15 2020
Robbie Fahy reports from Lissywollen
Athlone Town and Drogheda United combined to serve up an enthralling 3-3 draw in Lisswoolen in the SSE Airtricity League First Division on Friday night.
Converted penalties from Drogs substitute Chris Lyons and’s Ronan Manning in the final seven minutes provided the perfect crescendo to a feisty encounter under the lights in the midlands.
The midlanders had twice led, through Manning and Lee Duffy, but were pegged back each time thanks to an own goal and a Brandon Bermingham strike.
Despite the final score, it was a cagey opening salvo. Both sides matched one another in a 4-2-3-1 shape out of possession, leaving limited space centrally for any creative spark.
As expected, it was Drogheda who began to assert first and full backs James Brown and Conor Kane spent much of the opening quarter of an hour pushing forward, making a line of four across the front, pinning the midlanders back in the process.
Despite a prolonged spell of possession, chances failed to materialise and Drogs boss Tim Clancy was becoming visibly more animated on the touchline. He was right, as seconds later Athlone went in front.
Duffy had been the midlanders’ only outlet for much of the first period, living off scraps and running the channels.
His industrious hold up play was to prove fruitful. He won an innocuous-looking free kick in what couldn’t be described as a dangerous position, 40 yards out in middle third of the field.
Drogs defenders pulled to the back post expecting a floated ball for the six-foot plus Ciaran Grogan. They were wrong.
Instead David Brooks whipped a low ball into the near post, met with aplomb by the onrushing Manning, who swept it low and hard into the net to give Adrian Carberry’s side an unlikely lead.
The young town team grew in confidence with that goal and their manager would have been happy to get his charges in at half-time and reset, but he wouldn’t get that chance.
Five minutes from the break and Drogheda were level. James Clarke played a neat one-two with Brandon Birmingham on the right hand side before sending a neat clip over the head of Brooks.
Drogheda’s James Brown powered onto it and headed for the byline before pulling the ball back crisply to the oncoming Jake Hyland.
His first effort from 18 yards thundered off the crossbar with so much force that it ricocheted back off Scott Delaney and past the hapless Aaron Myles, who was stranded on the ground.
Drogheda looked buoyed going into the interval but, to Carberry and his side’s credit, they began the stronger once more. The second half was less than ten minutes old when they were back in front.
The energetic Brooks sent a hopeful ball down the left touchline in search of Duffy and, in a moment centre half Jack Tuite will want back, he decided to let the ball over his head despite being a full 40 yards from his goal.
Duffy proceeded to race onto it, round keeper David Odlimosu and smash the ball into the net.
Defending hasn’t been a strong suit of Athlone’s season thus far and that weakness would rear its head again five minutes later.
Another calamitous moment, this time from the midlanders’ Ireland U-19 triallist Tumelo Tlou, who misjudged a cross field ball from Brown,
He allowed it to bounce over his head 18 yards from his goal and straight to Birmingham.
The winger wasted little time in taking a single touch and sliding it calmly into the bottom left-hand corner.
By this point there was no let up from either side, both pushed on looking for a winner.
Mark Doyle should have put United in front moments after their equaliser but could only blaze over Myles’ net when it seemed easier to score.
Manning and Duffy missed gilt-edged openings too and it appeared that the game would peter out until seven minutes from time when, out of nowhere, referee Marc Lynch pointed to the Athlone Town penalty spot.
A poor clearance from a tired-looking Tlou was picked up by Doyle. He sharply found substitute Jordan Adeyemo who was about to pull the trigger before being unceremoniously dumped to the ground by Ciaran Grogan.
Up stepped substitute striker Lyons to send Myles the wrong way and put the handful who made the journey from Drogheda into raptures.
Most teams in Athlone’s position would have rolled over at this point but they were not to be denied a deserved point.
Two minutes from time they had a penalty of their own. Ronan Manning capped another fine individual display with a throwback to schoolyard football, bursting onto the second ball from his own corner kick and winning a penalty for his team.
Much like Lyons, he converted his spot kick very confidently to send the locals home satisfied with the spirit shown by their team.
The result leavies Drogheda manager Tim Clancy with more questions than answers as he looks to continue the Boynesiders pursuit of Cabinteely at the top of the table.
For Athlone Town it’s another much needed point and with a trip to UCD on Monday, followed by a return to Lissywoolen for a clash with Shamrock Rovers II next Friday, giving them little time to enjoy a well-earned draw.
Athlone Town: Aaron Myles, David Brookes, Scott Delaney, Ciaran Grogan, Evan White (Jordan Carroll 86), Jack Reynolds (Jordan Carr 90), Taner Dogan, Tumelo Tlou, Darren Meenan (Adam Lennon 54) , Ronan Manning, Lee Duffy.
Subs not used: Darcy Lawless, Dean George, John Morgan, Mark Birrane.
Booked: David Brooks, Darren Meenan, Lee Duffy
Drogheda United: David Odumuso, James Brown, Conor Kane, Jack Tuite, Derek Prendergast, Richie O’Farrell, Jake Hyland, Mark Doyle, Brandon Bermingham (Hugh Douglas 85), Stephen Meaney (Jordan Adeyemo 80), James Clarke (Chris Lyons 45).
Subs not used: Ross Treacy, Sean Brennan, Killian Phillips, Ryan O’Shea.
Booked: Richie O’ Farrell, Jake Hyland
Referee: Marc Lynch.
Attendance: 25.
Extratime.com Player of the Match: Lee Duffy (Athlone Town).
