Mervue’s promotion hopes fade after defeat to nine-man Athlone

Jason Byrne at Fahy’s Field

Athlone Town somehow came away from Fahy’s Field with all three points on Friday night despite finishing the game with nine men, while Mervue United missed two penalties in a performance in which they were dominant everywhere but on the scoresheet.

All four Athlone goals came as a result of errors from Mervue goalkeeper Conor Gleeson on a night when their former attacker Enda Curran bagged a brace, as did his strike partner Philip Gorman who haunted Mervue once more.

This game literally did have everything. With just 12 minutes on the clock, Stephen Walsh was upended in the box by Athlone skipper Aidan Collins who was shown a straight red card.

Ryan Manning placed the ball on the penalty spot but his low effort was well saved by Athlone ’keeper Paul Skinner. Moments later, Skinner came to the rescue again when Jason Molloy’s cross was walloped goalwards by Tom King and Skinner palmed it onto the post.

Four minutes later Molloy was again the provider for his captain, but this time King struck the side netting, after which Athlone weathered the storm at a windswept Fahy’s Field.

More than 500 people were present to witness the clash and were certainly given value for money. On the half hour mark Molloy crossed again from the left flank and Skinner fisted it into King’s path, but as he attempted to guide it home, it trickled wide.

After rarely threatening, Athlone then won a penalty of their own when Gleeson needlessly fouled Curran, and Gorman coolly scored to the right and Roddy Collins’ men had the lead.

King and Gorman went close at either end before Mervue drew level, as a long Barry O’Mahoney ball led to Roddy Collins junior attempting to head back to Skinner, but it reached the head of Walsh first and he nodded home.

But Athlone hit the front again within four minutes as half-time approached, this time Gorman latching onto a ball from James O’Brien and Gleeson advancing too soon to let him score his fifth goal against Mervue in two games.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.