Kilkenny City 3 - 0 Athlone Town AET
180 minutes of football couldn't separate Athlone Town and Kilkenny City in this FAI Cup second round tie. In front of a poor home crowd however, Kilkenny City progress to the third round thanks to three extra time goals.
The Town lined out with Robert Shine replacing Davy Dowling in defence and Gary Devine starting for the first time up front. Athlone had the first chance of the game, but Micky Collins shot over the Kilkenny cross-bar. Warren Parkes and Gary Devine linked up a number of times but couldn't make any effort count. The sides went in 0-0 at half time. Town keeper Shane Curran made a number of crucial saves during the first half to keep Athlone in it. In particular a one-on-one with a Kilkenny player on the stroke of half time.
Athlone came more into it in the second half. Alan Clarke made some good runs down the right side, feeding Parkes who had an excellent chance on the hour mark. David Murphy was introduced, replacing Parkes on 70 minutes, with Damien Rushe coming in to replace Alan Clarke five minutes later. Kilkenny's chances during the second half were few and far between.
A blunder by Curran gave Kilkenny their first goal in the dying minutes of the first half of extra time, Adrian Mooney the scorer, which was followed up three minutes later with a well taken goal from Stephen Murphy.
Gary Devine had a great chance in the opening moments of the second period of extra time, but his shot took a deflection and went over the bar for a corner. The Athlone come-back was not to be though and the game ended in a sour note with Adrian Carberry being sent off, and City getting their third goal from the resulting penalty.
So after losing to Kilkenny 4-1 three times last season, it looks like City are going to continue to be our bogey side. However, this performance was much better than those of last season, and the scoreline does not fairly reflect the that performance. Athlone now have two games left in the First Division Cup before the serious business of the League starts, with an away game to Waterford United in mid August. Stephen Mullan, Athlone's top goal-scorer last season should be back from America near the start of that campaign, and Town fans will be hoping that he remembers to bring his scoring boots with him.
