Finn Harps 0 - 0 Athlone Town

• Aidan O'Donnell
• Sun, Apr 18 2010


FINN Harps were held to a scoreless draw by an awkward yet well-organised and no-nonsense Athlone Town at Finn Park on Saturday night.

The visitors picked up their third goalless draw in four games while the hosts made it three games unbeaten in what turned out to be a dull, uninspired ninety minutes of endless hoofing.

Despite a lively opening half an hour or so where both sides seemed fairly intent in playing open, expansive football, the game never looked like tossing up anything exciting or spontaneous. The hosts were full of energy in the opening period but faded after that, while Athlone didn't so much grow as the game wore on, but became more ruthless and energy-sapping.

The home side raced out of the blocks, hoping to do what other teams have done to them so often already this season and score early on. They were able to manufacture several chances in the opening twenty minutes or so, but came unstuck after that when Athlone seemed to find the right gear.

Tommy Bonner went close on thirteen minutes when Gary Whoriskey and Johnny Lafferty combined smartly on the left touchline to tee up the midfielder, who had a near post shot saved distinctively by Chris Bennion. In more or less the same phase of play, the ball was recycled down the right side and James Doherty whipped in a cross to the near post where Kevin McHugh waltzed in to flick just wide.

Three minutes later and Lafferty - back in the starting XI after a bout of illness - danced his way past a number of Town defenders but after creating a fine angle for himself, could only blaze high over the crossbar from twelve yards.

Stephen McLaughlin then went closest to making the breakthrough when McHugh chipped over the defence for his attacking partner, who done well to cut back inside his marker before shooting just inches wide.

Athlone seemed to gather themselves somewhat after that and had rarely to be on their toes for the remainder of the half. The same, however, could have been said for the Harps back four and their 'keeper Liam Mailey, who had not a single save to make in the opening forty-five.

Athlone began brightly after the restart, Robbie Benson driving through several challenges before winning a free right on the edge of the Harps penalty area after Packie Mailey hauled him down, earning the Harps skipper an obvious booking. Austin Skelly then shot high over 'keeper Mailey's crossbar in what was pretty much the first real chance for the visitors in the game. It preceded their best chance and indeed the games of a breakthrough.

On seventy-seven minutes, the Harps backline was caught flat-footed when a ball over the top released Austin Skelly, who then rather unselfishly pulled back for second half replacement Noel McGee, who was only denied a goal after a brilliant point blank save by Mailey.

Athlone did threaten a lot more in the second half but only sparsely and Matthew Crossan - playing at centre half for the second week in a row in the absence of Johnny Minnock- produced a telling intervention to deny McGee a simple tap-in after he had rounded Mailey.

Tempers frayed when Johnny Lafferty lunged in high on O'Shea, earning himself a yellow card, while Stephen Caffrey also picked up a booking for needless involvement in the aftermath. The game, though, never really boiled over after that as both sides continued to cancel each other out and move onto ten points from seven games played.

Finn Harps: Liam Mailey; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Matthew Crossan, Gary Whoriskey; Stephen McLaughlin, Mark Forker, Tommy Bonner, Marc Brolly; Johnny Lafferty, Kevin McHugh.
Subs: Michael Funston (Forker, 69 mins), Oisin McMenamin (McLaughlin, 88 mins).

Athlone Town: Chris Bennion; Mark Nolan, Des Hope, Brian McCarthy, Eoin O'Shea; Richie O'Hanlon, Stephen Caffrey, Robbie Benson, Kevin Williamson; Robert Farrell, Austin Skelly.
Subs: Niall Scullion (McCarthy, 60 mins), Noel McGee (Farrell, 65 mins), Stephen Place (Skelly, 84 mins).

Referee: Paul Tuite