A pair of own goals saw Athlone Town to victory over DLR Waves in Lissywollen tonight.

Katie Malone would give the visitors the lead 17 minutes in, but own goals from Kate Mooney and Jess Gleeson either side of the half meant it was the hosts who would earn three points.

It was Athlone who had the first chance of the game. Just four minutes in, a corner was met by Jessica Hennessy, who headed goalwards. Eve Badana didn’t seize the ball and a goalmouth scramble ensued, but Waves cleared their lines.

They would then strike in the 17^th minute. Athlone had their pockets picked on the left-hand side deep in their own half and Aoife Brophy sent in a low drilled cross. Malone was in the right place at the right time to tap it in.

Not much action came until Athlone’s equaliser. In the 35^th minute, an inswinging free caused another goalmouth scramble, which this time resulted in an Athlone corner. Madison Gibson sent it into the mixer and Kate Mooney, in an attempt to prevent it reaching Jessica Hennessy, put it into her own net. A moment of misfortune that saw the game level.

Just four minutes later, Athlone nearly had a second. Emily Corbet was sent through on goal and flicked the ball over an on-rushing Badana. Louise Corrigan showed great pace however and got back to deal with the imminent danger, clearing it off the line.

Then, four minutes after the interval, Corbet was causing issues again. From distance, she attempted to catch Badana off her line, who tipped the effort onto the bar. Gibson came in for a follow-up but that was also saved by Badana.

Athlone’s pressure was rewarded in the 55^th minute. Muireann Devaney sent in a cross from deep out right and Jess Gleeson came to deal with it. The Waves defender got her cue all wrong and headed it into her own net, giving Athlone the lead.

Athlone managed to control possession the rest of the game and never really threatened, whilst ensuring DLR didn’t do the same. The closest either side came was in the 74^th minute, when Gibson turned from range and sent an effort goalward, hitting the bar.

Nonetheless, Athlone came away with the win. They maintain their third-placed position and following the shock result in Sligo, are six points off the league leaders with a game in hand.