Athlone Town 2 - 3 Kildare County
Athlone Town went down 3 - 2 to Kildare County in Saint Mel's Park on Friday night, but it all could have been so different.
There was a lively start to the game, with Barry O'Connor forcing a save from Gary Connaughton, back in the Town goals, as early as the first minute. A massive through out by Connaughton to Reilly set up Gavin nicely, but this through ball was cut out by a County defender.
Ben Whelehan took Stephen Gavin out of it in the Kildare box after 15 minutes, only for the referee to wave play on.
Mark Kenny forced Connaughton into action with a spectacular save minutes later. This was followed up by an effort from Kildare's Alan Kelly which went just wide of the left upright, as Kildare began to come into the game more.
Ronan Frawley headed off the line after 35 minutes, but Athlone were given a free for offside anyways. They did manage to get the ball in the back of the net seven minutes later though. Philip Hughes sent in a cross which was met by Barry O'Connor. Connaughton saved his effort, but Athlone reject Alan McNevin was onhand to give Kildare and undeserved halftime lead.
2nd Half
Kildare had a few chances in the opening minutes of the second half, with O'Connor heading wide, and Hughes' lob going well wide of the mark.
Reilly had Athlone's first chance, when finding himself one on one with Gareth Cronin. However, having a disappointing and lethargic game, he ran tried to run around Cronin instead of just running past him and was dispossessed. Stephen Gavin had a tame shot at O'Leary in the Kildare goal after some excellent interplay between O'Brien and McCann had set him up.
Town went two down after 60 minutes. Stephen Kelly gave away a stupid free inside the Town box on the endline. Connaughton pulled off a superb point blank save from O'Connor's header from the free. County then got a very dubious corner, after Connaughton had been hacked at on the ground. From this corner, Damien Brennan headed across the face of goal with Connaughton out of position, and Philly Hughes was on hand to head home.
Danny O'Leary then got away with picking the ball up outside the box when Micky McCann was rushing in on his position. Town did get back into it however, with a delightful lob from Damien Rushe from 30 yards, after a clever ball from Michael Harney. The young Irish Colleges star has gone close on many occassions, but couldn't have scored a better goal to open his Town account.
Stephen Gavin should have done better five minutes later, after beating a number of defenders, he shot tamely at O'Leary.
Rushe might have got his second, when he was in a great position, but Reilly decided to go on his own and shot just wide.
Meanwhile at the other end, Athlone were living dangerously. Connaughton was well out of area but missed the ball. He tried blocking the ball with his leg from the next shot but missed, and only for Stephen Kelly on the line, Athlone would have been 3-1 down. They did go 3-1 in front minutes later though, and a tangle of feet between Kelly and Barry O'Connor. It was a totally innocent situation, and with Kelly not even facing O'Connor, no-one on the Kildare team looked for a peno. However, Hugo Whoriskey in all his wisdom pointed to the spot. Philly Hughes stepped up to the spot and sent Connaughton the wrong way to re-establish the two goal lead.
Minutes earlier Reilly had a a good looking goal disallowed for offside. The game ended 3-2 in favour of Kildare however, after Ben Whelehan headed into his own net under serious pressure from Ronan Frawley on 89 minutes. Shay Zeller, who earned Kildare a point when the sides last met at Station Road, should have scored at the end, but somehow went wide of the post.
So Athlone go down by a single goal for the seventh time this season, and Kildare move up to third place, and get their first victory under new boss, Eric Hannigan.
Athlone Town: Gary Connaughton, Ger O'Brien, Alan Kelly, Michael Harney [Stuart Holt], Ronan Frawley, Michael Collins, Damien Rushe, Michael McCann [Andy Mullin], Martin Reilly [Keith Nibbs], Stephen Kelly, Stephen Gavin.
Kildare County: Danny O'Leary, Damien Brennan, Gareth Cronin, Ben Whelehan, Ray Kenny, Mark Kenny, Ray Scully, Alan McNevin [Shay Zeller], Philip Hughes, Barry O'Connor, Alan Kelly.
Referee: Hugo Whoriskey
