Town Crash out of Leinster Senior Cup as Salthill Preparation reaches home straight

Athlone Town were knocked out of this year’s Leinster Senior Cup by Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle grounds last Thursday evening after a 26th minute Austin Skelly penalty was sandwiched between goals from Shane O’Neill and Jake Kelly.
Athlone got off to a poor start with O’Neill’s strike coming in just the 3rd minute but almost grabbed a late, late leveller when Brian McCarthy was sent in on goal, only for referee Declan Hanney to blow his full-time whistle as the towering centre-half swung to connect with the ball.

Athlone Town manager Brendan Place opted to start with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Stephen Place and Gareth Kenna sitting in midfield, and Noel McGee lining out in a withdrawn role just off striker Robbie Farrell. With Tom O’Halloran out with a knee injury, Austin Skelly started out on the left flank with Richie O’Hanlon completing the midfield quintet.

Athlone couldn’t have dreamed of a worse start as the visitors found themselves a goal down inside the opening minutes. The first score came from a long throw-in by home skipper Daire Doyle, with O’Neill running through to meet Dean Zambra’s flick-on and given the easiest of tasks of finishing with an easy tap in from 8 yards.

Bray then had a chance to double their advantage on 18 minutes when Jake Kelly let fly with a free-kick, but he was denied by a top-drawer flying push away from Bennion. Richie O’Hanlon then shot wide just moments later after a long punt up-field from the midlander’s net-minder.

But the home side’s advantage was then cancelled out when the referee pointed to the spot after Doyle brought Austin Skelly to the ground near the end line. Skelly stepped up himself and duly converted the ensuing spot-kick to drag his side level.

Both teams battled for possession for the remainder of the half with chances coming from either side. Bray went close on 40 minutes when Chris Shields shot from a John Mulroy cross struck the post before Gareth Kenna headed over from a corner with just 60 seconds remaining in the opening period.

Zambra’s corner kicks were causing a few problems inside the Athlone penalty area after the restart with Bennion being called into action in the 49th and 51st minutes. Jake Kelly was seeing a lot of the ball and his efforts seemed to be getting ever closer, with his strike going narrowly right of the post after a David O’Neill cross just after the hour, and bringing a fingertip touch from Bennion five minutes later.

Brian McCarthy then headed over from a corner with the clock winding down before Bray snuck a late winner. Athlone lost the ball on the half way line and Bray broke with the end result coming in the shape of Jake Kelly tapping the ball home from a tight angle.

Athlone then felt hard done by when referee Hanney blew up as McCarthy shot goalwards seconds later – but the ball flew past the far post in any case.

Also, the club’s Futsal team crashed out at the last 16 stage of the All-Ireland Futsal Competition to the South Dublin FAS team in Gormanston College last Saturday morning with the final score at 8-4.

Athlone Town now set their sights to next Saturday evening where they will take on Salthill Devon in Drom in their opening fixture of the Airtricity League of Ireland 1st Division. Kick off is at 7 p.m.

Bray Wanderers: 1 Brian Kane; 2 Daire Doyle (c), 4 Philip Knight, 5 Shane O’Connor, 3 Dane Massey; 7 Chris Shields, 6 David O’Neill, 8 Dean Zambra, 11 Jake Kelly; 9 John Mulroy, 10 Shane O’Neill
Subs: 12 Colm Tresson, 14 Dean Barrett (for Mulroy 92), 15 Nicky Byrne, 16 James Kavanagh, 17 Ian Tuohy, 18 David Tyrrell, 25 Carl Donnelly (gk)

Athlone Town: 1 Chris Bennion (c); 2 Mark Nolan, 5 Des Hope, 4 Brian McCarthy, 3 Eoghan O’Shea; 11 Richie O’Hanlon, 8 Stephen Place, 6 Gareth Kenna, 7 Noel McGee; 9 Robert Farrell, 10 Austin Skelly
Subs: 12 Gordon Watson (for Skelly 70), 13 Kevin Quinn, 14 Niall Scullion, 15 Robert Benson, 16 Kevin Williamson, 17 Shane Dolan (for McGee 56), 20 Scott Gaynor (gk)

Referee: Declan Hanney
Futsal Team:
Scott Gaynor
Kevin Horan
Garvan Broughall
Stephen Relihan
Ronan Stack
Padraig Gilsenan
James Goggins