Longford Town overcome Athlone to reach the promotion play-offs

SSE Airtricity League First Division - Round 36

Longford Town . . . 1 Athlone Town . . . 0

James Bailey’s 33rd minute goal secured Longford Town FC the vital victory over Athlone Town at Bishopsgate on Friday night and a place against UCD in the promotion play-off semi-finals next weekend.

Watched by a huge attendance of 2,236, the biggest crowd for a long, long time at the Longford venue, it was a cagey opening twenty minutes with the only shot of real note coming from Athlone on eight minutes when Aaron Connolly’s twenty-five-yard effort went wide.

Longford Town had to wait until the 22nd minute before having their first goal scoring attempt but Aaron Doran’s shot from inside the penalty area on the right went well wide of the far post.

Four minutes later, Athlone created an excellent opportunity when Dylan Connolly whipped in a pin-point cross from the left that picked out winger Will Smith but his header lacked power and was saved by home Keeper Kian Moore.

Athlone’s Aaron Connolly had a deflected shot on the half-hour mark that was saved by Moore.

The ‘Red & Black’ took the lead on the 33rd minute mark courtesy of a defensive mistake from the visitors. Daragh Murtagh’s cross from the right should have been cleared by Athlone defender Dylan Connolly, but he completely misjudged the ball which broke kindly for the unmarked Longford winger Bailey who slotted home from six yards out to put the home side ahead.

The goal conceded galvanised Athlone Town and they upped the tempo in the last fifteen minutes of the first half.

The visitors almost equalised on 38 minutes when an over-hit ball seemed to pose no problems for the home rearguard but the ball deflected off Sean Moore and almost went past keeper Kian Moore, but the Longford stopper managed to thrust his hands out instinctively to gather the ball at the second attempt.

Two minutes before the break, a long-range strike from Athlone’s Patrick Ferry went just wide.

The first corner of the game just before the hour mark went the way of the visitors but Crawford’s corner was headed wide by Evan O’Connor.

Three more Athlone corners came in quick succession for the visitors but the Longford defence held firm.

Athlone were enjoying a lot of possession but they were not posing too many problems for the home defence and Longford almost caught them out on the counter attack on 68 minutes as all the Athlone players were inside the Longford half.

Town centre-half Taylor McCarthy played a super ball out of defence and released Daragh Murtagh who timed his run to perfection from just inside his own half but he ran out of steam and was eventually closed down by four defenders.

Two minutes after that, the home side should have doubled their advantage. A super ball from the right from Murtagh picked out the unmarked Bailey fifteen yards out from goal but his shot was brilliantly saved by Athlone keeper Brendan Clarke.

Athlone Town nearly snatched a late equaliser in injury time but former Longford player Kyle O’Connor, who had come on as a substitute for the visitors, had his close range shot brilliantly saved by Longford stopper Kian Moore.

Even if Athlone had equalised, Wayne Groves ‘Red & Black’ army would still have reached the play-offs as Cobh lost away to Treaty United.

LONGFORD TOWN (4-3-2-1): Kian Moore, Adenekan, McCarthy, Omorehiomwan, Hough, Sean Moore, O’Brien, Ugbesia, Doran, Bailey, Murtagh.

Subs: Manuel for Ugbesia (60 minutes), Paraschiv for Bailey (74 minutes), Egan for Doran (90 minutes).

ATHLONE TOWN (4-5-1): Clarke, Dylan Connolly, Evan O’Connor, Kehir, Crawford, Cleary, Aaron Connolly, McManus, Smith, Ferry, Grogan.

Subs:- Lyons for Grogan, Considine for Dylan Connolly AND Kyle O’Connor for Crawford (all 74 minutes), Lawless for Ferry (83 minutes).

Referee: Marc Lynch.

Official Attendance: 2,236