Athlone Town 1 - 0 Mervue United

• Terry Flaherty
• Sat, Apr 23 2011


Athlone Town recorded a third successive win for the first time in over ten years after an early second half winner from right back Niall Scullion secured a third 1-0 win in seven days for Mike Kerley’s side.

Athlone have amazingly only scored four times this season, three of those in their last three games, but have amassed 12 points and now sit in a healthy fifth position after another battling defensive performance against Mervue Utd on Friday night.

The visitors will have left Lissywoollen wondering how they went home without at least a point, as they created enough chances to have taken something from the game, but the lack of a clinical finisher cost them dearly.

The game was barely two minutes old when Stephen Relihan headed straight at Ger Hanley from a Brendan Daly left wing cross. Mervue responded with Mark Ludden shooting just wide of the angle from a Nicky Curran squared ball on four minutes.

The visitors should have been in front on six minutes after Rory Gaffney picked out his strike partner Jason Molloy in the box but he fired his effort straight at Michael Schlingermann who deflected the effort away with his legs.

A good ball into the box from Tom King on 21 minutes almost picked out Molloy but the striker just couldn’t apply the vital touch, while Mervue captain Eric Browne saw his close range effort deflected over the crossbar by Joe Woods with referee Rob Rodgers and his assistant amazingly awarding a goal-kick.

Molloy struck a free-kick just past the right hand post on the half hour mark after Kevin Crehan’s mazy run was halted on the edge of the box, while King headed a Ludden left wing cross wide of the mark two minutes later. Athlone were forced into a change shortly after as Alex Gardiner limped out of the action to be replaced by Brian Gill.

Ludden curled another free-kick over the wall five minutes before half time but Schlingermann was well positioned to save as the sides went in scoreless at the break. Ian Sweeney replaced Brendan Daly at the start of the second half and five minutes later the home side struck for the only goal of the game. A corner from the left by Ronan Stack was not cleared by Mervue and right back Niall Scullion was on hand to fire the loose ball home at the back post.

They could have doubled that led on the hour mark when a long ball forward released Tommy Barrett in behind the Mervue defence, but he shot straight at Hanley who almost spilled the ball over his shoulder on the goal-line.

The visitors should have been level four minutes later when Ludden’s free-kick from the half way line evaded everyone before flying over Schlingermann and rebounding off the post with no Mervue player reacting to stroke home the loose ball as Athlone recovered to clear the danger.

Crehan then embarked on another good run into the box before cutting back a cross for Dave Goldbey at the near post but he fired his effort just wide on 65 minutes. Mervue then had three good chances in as many minutes to draw level.

First Gaffney worked himself an opportunity from the angle of the six yard box but had his effort deflected out for a corner by Schlingermann. A long Gaffney throw from the left picked out an unmarked King in the box but his attempted effort went badly wide. Then a ball over the top released King in on the right but once again he pulled his effort wide of the far post.

The home side should then have got a second against the run of play as a long ball forward from Scullion was misjudged by Hanley and allowed sub Sweeney to gather the loose ball before rounding the stranded keeper, but he shot across the face of the empty goal and wide.

Gaffney saw a long range effort bounce in front of Schlingermann and over the crossbar with seven minutes remaining, while Molloy saw his well struck low effort saved by the home keeper three minutes later.

Mervue were now pushing hard for an equaliser but were failing to convert their chances and with three minutes of injury time Molloy almost secured a point for them. Firstly a quickly taken corner kick saw him shoot just over Schlingermann’s crossbar in the first extra minute, while he then headed a Ludden corner kick straight at the home keeper with a free header for the final chance of the game.

It has been a great week for the midlands club as their young side collected nine points and three back to back wins for the first time since the 2000/2001 season and they will now head to Jackman Park next week in confident mood to take on Limerick FC.

Mervue will wonder how they left the midlands venue without any reward for their endeavours but goals win matches and they must turn their attentions to a second round EA Sport Cup game with Premier Division Derry City on Easter Monday, and then Roddy Collins high flying Monaghan Utd are the visitors to Fahy’s Field next Friday night.

Athlone Town: Michael Schlingermann; Niall Scullion, Kevin Williamson (c), Joe Woods, Paul Danagher; Tommy Barrett, Stephen Relihan, Bobby Tier, Ronan Stack (Colm Smith ’85); Brendan Daly (Ian Sweeney ’46), Alex Gardiner (Brian Gill ’33).
Subs Not Used: Kevin Horan, Roy King, Darren Young, Scott Gaynor (GK).

Bookings: Tommy Barrett (’69).

Mervue Utd: Ger Hanley; Nicky Curran (James Casserly ’79), Mark Ludden, Martin Conneely, Eric Browne; Kevin Crehan, Noel Varley (Peter Dravins ’73), Tom King, Dave Goldbey (John Mountney ’73); Rory Gaffney, Jason Molloy.
Subs not used: Alex Lee, Dan Cunningham, David O’Brien, TJ Forde (GK).

Bookings: Nicky Curran (’75).

Attendance: 250 (Aprox).
Referee: Rob Rodgers (Dublin).
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Paul Danaher (Athlone Town) – Defended well particularly in the second period when under pressure.