- Philip Morrissey
- Sat, Jun 19 2021
A goal late in each half gave Cork City an important win in their bid to move closer to the playoff positions – and it also eased the pressure on head coach Colin Healy.
It was a disappointing loss for Athlone following UCD’s heavy 4-0 defeat away to Bray Wanderers – as Galway United and the aforementioned Bray also picked up big wins.
Cork welcomed Steven Beattie back into the side from injury, but Cian Bargary was ruled out with a shoulder injury Athlone were on a poor run of form and missing a number of players with injury.
The first half was one that did not live long in the memory. Both sides lacked confidence due to recent results and this reflected on the game.
Both sides were guilty of misplaced passes and poor decision making but City were slightly better of the two when it came to chances. Gearoid Morrissey forced Micheal Schlingermann into a save early on in a rare moment of quality.
He was key to the success as he enabled City to disrupt much of the home play, with the main threats of Adam Wixted, James Doona and Derek Daly stifled somewhat.
And just when it looked it was going to be scoreless at the break, City struck.
A ball came into the box was not dealt with properly by the Athlone rear-guard, and Alec Byrne was on hand to seize on the chance to rifle it home.
Athlone rallied and gradually got a foothold into the game shortly after as Kurtis Byrne played a great ball over the City defence into the path of the on-rushing Wixted.
But Beattie was able to track back in time to clear the danger. Kurtis Byrne then got away from the attention of Gordon Walker, but Mark McNulty came out to claim it as City had to withstand a bit of pressure.
Jack Baxter then went close to making it two on the break as he took a first time shot from a ball played into him. But Athlone keeper Michael Schlingermann was forced to tip it away.
Athlone had chances to level through McKenna and Wixted, while Dylan Hand made an important series of blocks at the other end.
Unfortunately, Hand was caught out as a tired advance from his own area was seized on by a flock of City players.
Decent interplay between Dylan McGlade, Beineon O’Brien-Whitmarsh and Baxter resulted in the latter making space for himself before slotting it to the right of the goalkeeper.
The home side attempted in vain to get something out of the game in the dying moments as McNulty was forced into a decent save down to his left as they take a morale-boosting win into next week’s trip to the capital to take on Shelbourne.
Athlone Town: Mícheál Schlingermann; Daniel McKenna, Dylan Hand, Aidan Friel, Scott Delaney (Shane Nealon 85), Derek Daly; Jamie Hollywood (David Brookes 71), James Doona, Adam Wixted; Brandon McCann (Jack Reynolds 57), Kurtis Byrne (c).
Subs not used: Tumelo Tlou, Kayleum Rice, Tristan Noack Hofmann, Oisin Duffy, Jonny Carlin, Shane Barnes.
Booked: Derek Daly (29), Kurtis Byrne (77).
Sent off: None.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Gordon Walker, Cian Murphy (Dylan McGlade 75), Jonas Hakkinen, Alec Byrne (Dale Holland 62); Gearóid Morrissey (c), Darragh Crowley, Cian Coleman, Steven Beattie, Jack Baxter (Oran Crowe 90); Beineon O'Brien Whitmarsh (Jack Walsh 90).
Subs not used: David Harrington, Paul Hunt, Ronan Hurley, Jamie Wynne, Issa Kargbo.
Booked: Beineon O'Brien Whitmarsh (83) Dale Holland (88).
Sent off: None
Referee: Robert Dowling.
Attendance: 100.
extratime.com Player of the Match: Jack Baxter (Cork City).
