TEAM

COLLOPHY
BROUGHALL
MCCARTHY
DANAGHER
WOODS

HUGHES
BARRETT
COLEMAN
WILLAMSON

KELLEHER
MCGEE

2-1 Win

Gaynor
woods, McCarthy,Barrett, Kenny
Broughall, King, hughes, williamson
Magee, sherlock

collopy
Coleman
Kelleher
Walshe
Gill

1-2 loss

Athlone Town -v- SD Galway
by Simon O'Gorman
Thu, Mar 01 2012

Athlone Town

Athlone Town begin their 125th year of existence with a home tie against an SD Galway side that are embarking on their first season under their new name as well as having appointed a new manager and booked a new home venue.

Athlone boss Mike Kerley will be without four of his squad for the season opener with defender Paul Danaher carrying over a suspension from last season and Sean Geurins, Damien Rushe and Stephen Relihan all injured. Relihan may miss the rest of the season having suffered what looks to be a cruciate injury.

Athlone have had an unspectacular pre-season, losing 3-0 to Sligo Rovers but generally satisfying themselves with games against local opposition. That said, they do have the advantage of having already played a competitive fixture, losing 3-2 to UCD in the Leinster Senior Cup last Monday.

Speaking to the club’s website, Athlone assistant manager Padraig Moran said “I expect SD Galway to be very organised under Tony Mannion’s stewardship, and they will be a different prospect to last season”.

SD Galway

It’s a view shared by many onlookers with last season’s bottom placed team having enjoyed an extremely promising pre-season. Having narrowly lost out to FAI Cup holders and League runners-up, Sligo Rovers, Premier Division sides Drogheda United and Cork City both lost to Mannion’s side, while UCD could only manage a 2-2 draw at Drom last month.

“We are looking forward to the season”, said Mannion, “and can’t wait to get on the pitch at this stage. We have a young squad with quite a few inexperienced players, but we have added some experience in the close season. The pre-season training and the friendly games have gone well, so our big challenge now is to be competitive and play some attractive football along the way”.

Mikey Gilmore, Eugene Greaney and Sean Gavin will all be missing for the visitors as they serve suspensions carried over from last season, and Kieran Foley is out through injury.

Referee: Conor Fitzgerald.

Match Stats:

Athlone won two and drew one of their three league meetings with Salthill Devon last season.

SD Galway haven’t had a league win since they beat Wexford Youths on 5th August 2011. They lost eight and drew two of their last ten league fixtures last year.

Athlone have failed to score in five of their last six home games, while SD Galway haven’t won any of their last ten away fixtures in the league.

BETTING:

Paddy Power Odds: Athlone 11/10; Draw 9/4; SD Galway 2/1.

PREDICTION:

Extratime prediction: SD Galway to open with a win, 2-0.

Live Updates Link: http://extratime.ie/fixtures/detail/18086/1/

Another season of woefullness

C'Mon the town if we can't beat SCOOBY DOO Galway then at least we can feed the manager to the lions! The circus begins now!

3-0 win.

Oh and if will finish in the top half only 8 teams!!!

good to get the win and points, poor goal to give away i believe? el classico next!!!

Athlone Town 2 - 1 SD Galway
by Simon O'Gorman
Sat, Mar 03 2012

Second half goals from substitute Sean Geurin and Tommy Barratt were enough to secure three points for Athlone Town on the opening night of the 2012 season, despite a late come back from SD Galway that saw Enda Curran score and get sent off within the final minutes of the game.

It was Athlone who started the stronger of the two sides, dominating the opening stages against an SD Galway side whose nerves were not helped by a treacherous surface. Tommy Barrett’s effort from close range was headed clear by Nicky Curran just two minutes in and debutant full back Ross Kenny headed narrowly wide from a corner on seven minutes.

SD Galway slowly played their way in to the game with Michael ‘Mixie’ Harty causing problems on the right and Mike Tierney finding striker Enda Curran with some finely judged through balls.

But it was Athlone who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening half with Sherlock poking wide on 24 minutes having intercepted a back pass from Willie Okai, and Jason Hughes sending a ferocious 25 yard shot whistling just pats the Galway upright.

Four minutes before half time Athlone striker Noel McGee came even closer, connecting with a first time effort from the edge of the Galway box that would have snuck just inside the far post but for Liam Grant’s full length, fingertip save.

At half time Athlone manager Mike Kerley replaced the injured Sherlock with teenager Sean Geurin and the home side didn’t take long to turn their increased tempo into clear chances. Just eight minutes after the re-start they had forced a penalty, Brain Geraghty handling inside the box, though McGee’s effort from the spot was superbly saved by Liam Grant.

Two minutes later Okai was booked for a body check on Kevin Williamson as the Athlone winger threatened to surge past into unguarded space, and two minutes after that Geurin planted a diving header from Garvan Broughall’s free kick past the helpless Grant to deservedly open the scoring.

With an hour gone Athlone were firmly in charge, McGee leading the line with aplomb and threatening to open up the visitors every time he received the ball. But there were signs of frailty too, Enda Curran spinning two reverse passes through Athlone’s defence for Tierney to run onto. The uneven surface spoiled Tierney’s first opportunity and he miscued his shot over Brian Collopy’s crossbar, while the linesman’s flag foiled his second.

With 11 minutes to go Athlone appeared to have settled the tie, Tommy Barratt nudging the ball home after a goalmouth scramble, but Tony Mannion’s side weren’t quite ready to concede the points. With just three minutes to play Enda Curran lined up a free kick some 30 yards out and, astonishingly, drove the ball through an ill-prepared wall and past a static Collopy.

Three minutes later and Curran was headed for the dressing rooms after a foul on Brian McCarthy earned him his second yellow card, but the visitors might still have snatched a point when Paddy Quinlan headed Harty’s corner inches wide of the near post.

Mike Kerley will no doubt be delighted that his Athlone side have started their campaign with three points but there will be frustration too that such a superior performance was threatened by a lack of resolve in the final minutes. For Tony mannion there will be some comfort that SD Galway look, at least, a better proposition than they did last year.

Athlone Town: Brian Collopy; Joe Woods, Brian McCarthy, Tommy Barrett, Ross Kenny; Garvan Broughall, Mark Walsh, Jason Hughes, Kevin Williamson; Mark Sherlock (Sean Geurin, 46), Noel McGee.

Subs not used: Scott Gaynor, Ian Dempsey, Darren Coleman, Niall Scullion, Brian Gill, Roy King.

Bookings: Joe Woods (74).

SD Galway: Liam Grant; Nicky Curran, Brian Geraghty, Paddy Quinlan, Tommy Bradshaw; Michael Harty, Luke McConnell, Mike Tierney, Willie Okai (Ronan Conlon, 78), Brian Gaffney (Charlie Burke, 85); Mike Tierney, Enda Curran.

Subs not used: Ronan Burke, Eric Browne, Cian Fadden, Eric Holland,Gerry Dolan.

Bookings: Enda Curran (48), Willie Okai (55).

Sendings Off: Enda Curran (90).

Referee: Conor Fitzgerald.

Attendance: 200 (estimate).

extratime.ie Man of the Match: Noel McGee (Athlone Town).

attendance was 325