2021 Season Preview: Athlone Town

Manager: Adrian Carberry

Stadium: Athlone Town Stadium

Players in: Mícheál Schlingermann (Galway United), Daniel McKenna (Shelbourne), Aiden Friel (Shelbourne), Brandon McCann (Bray Wanderers), Shane Barnes (Cabinteely), Stephen Meaney (Drogheda United), Derek Daly (Bray Wanderers), Dylan Hand (Longford Town), Jonny Carlin (Cabinteely), James Doona (St Patrick's Athletic), Adam Wixted (Drogheda United), Jack Watson (Bray Wanderers), Killian Cantwell (Bray Wanderers), Kurtis Byrne (Waterford), Tristan Noack Hofmann (Bray Wanderers), Jamie Hollywood (Crumlin United), Terique Mohammed (Dundalk - loan), Taner Dogan (Dundalk - loan), Kayleum Rice.

Players out: Ronan Manning (Galway United), Adam Lennon (UCD), Gargar Ta-Uway, Aaron Myles, Evan O'Connor, Nashir Ishola, Evan Pierce (Sheriff YC), John Morgan, Dean George (Treaty United).

Extratime.com Key Man: Kurtis Byrne

Byrne is one of the most experienced players that Adrian Carberry will have at his disposal for the 2021 season.

The 30 year old has played in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as a number of clubs in the League of Ireland.

With just one goal to his name during the 2020 season for Waterford, for many the striker’s stock may have seemed like it was falling.

His CV speaks volumes however, having played a role in helping Dundalk to two Premier Division titles in 2014 and 2015, the striker also performed admirably in the Premier Division for Bohemians and St Patrick’s Athletic.

Adrian Carberry will be relying on Byrne to find form this season, and with the striker stepping down a division and surrounded by the strongest Athlone Town squad in years he should be a key part of the offense at Lissywoolen in 2020.

Extratime.com One to Watch: Taner Dogan

The American is entering his second loan spell with Athlone Town with Dundalk first sending the midfielder on loan last July.

He scored 4 goals in 18 appearances for Athlone last season, including a sensational effort from the halfway line against Drogheda United last October.

With the former Harvard University player having a First Division season under his belt and pushing to become an important player for his parent club, he could turn some heads this coming season as part of a rejuvenated Athlone Town side.

How they did last season:

League:

The Town finished bottom of the First Division for the fourth time since they were relegated from the top flight in 2014.

The key moment of their 2020 campaign was a 2-0 victory over last year’s First Division Champions, Drogheda United at United Park in October.

Ronan Manning and Taner Dogan were on the scoresheet for Carberry’s side that night, with the latter scoring from the halfway line as previously mentioned.

Their other two victories came over Cobh Ramblers and Wexford as the side managed just three victories all season which meant another bottom of the table finish, just one point behind Wexford.

FAI Cup:

The FAI Cup offered some form of hope to the Athlone Town faithful as they managed to make it all the way to the semi-finals of the competition for the first time in 22 years, with a chance to make it to the Cup Final for the first time since 1924.

Athlone beat Wexford and pulled off a shock 4-1 route of Shelbourne to set up the semi-final clash with the 2019 Premier Division Champions Dundalk.

There was no upset to be had however, as Dundalk put 11 goals into the Athlone net to progress to the Final, and break the record largest margin of victory in FAI Cup history.

What to expect this season:

Athlone Town fans should be cautiously optimistic about the coming 2021 First Division.

Adrian Carberry has recruited shrewdly from around the League of Ireland with Kurtis Byrne, Killian Cantwell and Mícheál Schlingermann just some of the players to sign with Athlone for 2021.

The Town have six seasons in the First Division under their belt, and they’ve finished bottom of the table in four of those so almost anything is an improvement.

That said, they can aim higher than just avoiding the wooden spoon this season, and their 16/1 odds to win the title reflect this.

Athlone certainly don’t have the quality to mount a title challenge, but there will be a battle for the playoffs this season and Adrian Carberry’s side will be a major part of that conversation as the season progresses.

Title Odds: 16/1

First game: UCD (away)