Bohemians 2-2 Athlone Town
DINNY CORCORAN WILL be kicking himself after missing a late spot kick that would have seen Bohemians fight back from 2-0 down in the second-half and claim all three points.
The mid-season break came at the wrong time for two of the league’s struggling sides. Bohemians signed off with a 5-0 bashing of Bray Wanderers while Athlone Town slammed six past Drogheda. Maintaining that momentum would be key at Dalymount Park.
Early in the second half it looked like the visitors would cruise to the win after James O’Brien completed a brace to give his side a 2-0 lead. However, the introduction of substitute Kevin Devaney, who produced a fantastic individual goal before setting up Corcoran for the equaliser, changed the game.
Athlone manager Keith Long made one very late change to his side just before the start with Barry Clancy taking Derek Doyle’s place on the left wing and the former played an integral part in breaking the deadlock in the 26th minute.
It was lovely piece of play from the visitors whose passing really improved as the half wore on. They worked the ball slowly from their own end through the midfield. Then on the edge of the box there was some neat one-touch play between Kealon Dillon and Clancy which turned the Bohemians defence inside out. Clancy laid it off to O’Brien who finished neatly past an oncoming Dean Delany.
The home side were warned. Three minutes earlier Philip Gorman latched onto the second ball after Aidan Price failed to deal with the high cross. Gorman flicked it on to O’Brien whose powerful volley produced a good save from Delany.
Athlone picked up where they left off after the restart and just two minutes had passed before Sean Brennan’s excellent cross found Gorman running at the far post. Gorman’s first-time shot thumped off the upright and back out to O’Brien who slotted it past Delany.
Owen Heary threw Devaney into the mix in the 53rd minute and just over a minute later the winger produced the goal of the game. Steven Beattie tackled and won possession in midfield and the ball landed at the feet of Devaney. The substitute’s mazy dribble took him past three or four Athlone players before he found the net from close range.
The home side went on to dominate the rest of the half and the equaliser eventually came with 77 minutes on the clock. Alan Byrne made a mess of the clearance from Price’s long free kick. When the ball popped loose it was Devaney who reclaimed it for the home team before finding Corcoran and the striker made it 2-2.
Corcoran had a gilt-edged chance to win the game in the 89th minute after his initial shot was handled in the box by Neil Harney who subsequently was shown a red card. The Bohmians striker’s penalty was poor though and Paul Skinner made the save to ensure a point for his team.
Bohemians: Delany, Murphy, D. Byrne, Price (C), Memery, Buckley (Devaney 54), Wearen, Lopes, Kavanagh (McEvoy 83), Beattie, Corcoran. Substitutes: K. Moore, J. Byrne, Hyland, Walsh, G. Moore (GK).
Athlone Town: Skinner, S. Byrne, Prendergast, A. Byrne, Dillon, Hughes, Gorman, Brennan (Rusk 88), O’Brien (Sweeney), Clancy (Harney 68), Quigley. Substitutes: Doyle, Mulroney, Mahon (GK), Marks.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
Airtricity League Premier Division results
UCD 0-2 Shamrock Rovers
Drogheda United 1-2 Sligo Rovers
St. Patrick’s Athletic 3-2 Bray Wanderers
Cork City 3-0 Limerick FC
Derry City 2-2 Dundalk
Bohemians 2-2 Athlone Town