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Details

Date Time League Season
16 July 2022 7:30 pm LOI Men's First Division 2022

Match Report

Athlone win battle of the Towns

Athlone picked up their first win in 20 attempts against Longford Town in an entertaining 3-1 victory in the First Division of the SSE Airtricity League.

Despite their underdog status, it was the Westmeath side who started the better. Thomas Oluwa nearly opened the scoring for the visitors in the opening minutes but was denied at the death by Dylan Barnett with a last-ditch tackle.

Longford began to get to grips with the game in the aftermath. Carl Chambers thought he put them ahead in the 24th minute when he struck home. Unfortunately for him however the goal was ruled out for a handball.

Vladislav Velikin made things more frustrating for the hosts by putting on an exhibition of goalkeeping in the first half. His save from Christian Magerusan on the half hour mark being the pick of the bunch.

Despite this pressure it was Athlone who would take the lead through a moment of magic from Oluwa in the 42nd minute. The former Bohs man found the net with a bicycle kick giving the visitors a 1-0 lead at the interval.

Athlone could have doubled their lead just after the break but Matthew O’Brien somehow managed to clear the ball off the line.

Similar to the first half, Longford began to dominate possession and were nearly level in the 64th minute when Dylan Barnett hit the bar from a free-kick.

A Near miss became a disaster in the space of a minute as Longford conceded straight away with an own goal. Michael Barker was the unfortunate figure who headed into his own net after a mix up in the penalty area.

The hosts finally got their goal however in the 70th minute through Dean McMenemy pounced after Cian Corbally’s header was blocked on the line. The goal made it 2-1 to set up a grandstand finish in the last 20 minutes.

Gary Cronin rang the changes as Longford chased an equaliser but Adam Lennon rounded the keeper in injury time to seal a deserved second win of the season.

Longford Town
18Luke Dennison Goalkeeper
14Michael Barker Defender 41'
66'
2Shane Elworthy Defender
3Dylan Barnett Defender
Cristian Magerusan 20 Forward
23Ben Lynch Midfielder
4Aaron Robinson Midfielder 8'
17Matthew O’Brien Midfielder
12Jordan Adeyemo 24 Forward
19Karl Chambers 11 Forward
5Michael McDonnell Midfielder
11Eric Molloy 19 Forward
20Dean McMenamy Midfielder 70'
22Matthew Dunne Defender
24Callum Warfield 12 Forward
30Tom Bourke Goalkeeper
31Kian Corbally Midfielder
10Emmanuel James Forward

Athlone Town
16Vladislav Velikin Goalkeeper
4Noah van Geenen Defender
12Aaron Connolly Midfielder 61'
18Oisin Duffy Midfielder
27Osaze Irhue Defender 90'
19Aaron McBride Defender
22Patrick Hickey Defender
12Adam Lennon Midfielder 90'
9Shane Barnes Forward
11Thomas Oluwa Forward 42'
41'
20Gary Armstrong 2 Forward
2Daniel Dobbin 20 Defender
5Andy Spain Defender
8Valerii Dolia Forward
23Donal Curtin Midfielder
25Glen McAuley Forward
26Gerard O’Connor Midfielder
30Mark Smith Goalkeeper
7Blake Ryan Defender

Timeline

6. Aaron Robinson 8' 
14. Michael Barker 41' 
 41' 9. Thomas Oluwa
 42' 9. Thomas Oluwa
Cristian Magerusan
Dean McMenamy		52' 
 61' 8. Aaron Connolly
Karl Chambers
Eric Molloy		64' 
14. Michael Barker 66' 
27. Dean McMenamy 70' 
Jordan Adeyemo
Callum Warfield		87' 
 87'Gary Armstrong
Daniel Dobbin
 90' 27. Osaze Irhue
 90' 34. Adam Lennon

  • Full time Athlone fully deserved 3-1 winners to seal their second win of the season.

  • 90'

    Lennon rounds the keeper to seal the win.

  • 90'

    Ihue gets a yellow for time wasting as Veliking makes a great save to deny Longford.

  • 90'

    Lennon gives away a free after trying to play the ball into the corner. Bit too early for that.

  • 90'

    5 added minutes as Longford press for an eqauliser.

  • 87'

    McCann also on for O'Brien.

  • 87'

    Warfield on for Armstrong while Dobbin is on for Adeyamo for Longford.

  • 80'

    Barnes subbed off for Athlone there. He looks exhausted.

  • 77'

    End to end stuff in the last few minutes. We're in for a granstand finish here with 15 minutes left.

  • 70'

    Oluwa is off Athlone.

  • 70'

    Longford grab a goal back. Corbally's shot is block but Macmaenamy is there to turn the rebound home.

  • 66'

    OG from Michael Barker. 2-0 Athlone, poor defending with the ball being allowed to bounce and he heads it in.

  • 64'

    Eric Molloy on for Chambers for Longford.

  • 64'

    Barnett hits the bar for Longford from a free. So close to levelling the game.

  • 61'

    Yellow for Athlone's Aaron Connolly for repeated fouling.

  • 58'

    Good goalkeeping again from Velikin to snuff out a dangerous looking cross from Longford.

  • 52'

    Macmaename is on for Magurson who's injured for Longford.

  • 49'

    O;Brien clears the ball off the line to deny Athlone's second goal.

  • 46'

    Back underway for the second half.

  • Half-time and It's Thomas Oluwa's wonder goal that has Athlone 1-0 ahead at the break.

  • 42'

    Oluwa with a bicycle kick straight from the cross. What a response to the booking. 1-0 Athlone

  • 41'

    Oluwa also booked there.

  • 41'

    Michael Barker with Longford's second yellow for a rash tackle on Aaron Connolly.

  • 39'

    Adam Lennon fizzes a shot from long range which goes just over. Athlone coming back into it.

  • 37'

    MacBride starts and ends a move with a near miss for Athlone. His header is inches away from going in.

  • 35'

    Good strike from Armstrong for Athlone but it's saved by Luke Dennison. If that was put away from him it probably would have been a goal.

  • 30'

    What a save from Velkin to keep Athlone level. Magerusan struck it well but it wouldn't have counted anyway as it was offside.

  • 24'

    Carl Chambers has the ball in the net for Longford but it's been ruled out for a hand ball.

  • 20'

    Entetaining opening 20 minutes in this derby. Both sides not afraid to run at the opposition although there haven't been too many clear cut chances.

  • 13'

    Armstrong with a shot on target for Athlone after recieving the ball from Thomas Oluwa who has looked very threatening so far. The former Dundalk man has 6 goals to his name already this season.

  • 8'

    First yellow goes to Longford's Aaron Robinson who is late with a crunching tackle.

  • 4'

    Barnett denies Oluwa of Athlone with a last ditch tackle to deny a certain goal. The resulting corner is cleared. Good start from the visitors.

  • 1'

    Underway.

  • Teams out onto the pitch.

  • Hello and welcome to live text commentary of Longford Town v Athlone Town in the midlands derby. Kick off is at 7.30 with team news on the way.

Past Meetings
(Round 16)
1 - 2
LOI Men's First Division
Athlone Town Stadium

Athlone Town v Longford Town

(Round 9)
2 - 0
LOI Men's First Division
Bishopsgate, Longford

Longford Town v Athlone Town

(Series 14)
0 - 4
LOI Men's First Division
Athlone Town Stadium

Athlone Town v Longford Town

(Series 5)
2 - 0
LOI Men's First Division
Bishopsgate, Longford

Longford Town v Athlone Town

Ground

Bishopsgate, Longford
City Calling Stadium, L50021, Mullolagher, Cloondara ED, Longford Municipal District, County Longford, Leinster, Ireland

Sam is an avid sports enthusiast who has been working in journalism since he was 16. Along with his work, he also plays tennis and is a Government and Political Science student at UCC. Most importantly of all however is that he's from Cork.