Athlone blow lead three times as Wexford claim a draw with late goal
Wexford Youths 3 Athlone Town 3
Sport with all its emotions can be cruel at times. Athlone Town were just seconds away from recording their ninth league win of the season only to be punished by a late sucker punch at Ferrycarrig Park on Friday night last.
When Mark Sherlock fired in the Town's third goal with seven minutes remaining, it looked like Wexford's barren spell at home would continue, but the home side drew level in the last action of the game to end with an unlikely share of the spoils.
Athlone will be bitterly disappointed to have surrendered the lead on three occasions as Wexford finally gained their first home point of the season after twelve straight defeats on home soil.
The sides were level 1-1 at half-time and the second half was full of incident as Athlone restored their lead after 65 minutes, only for Wexford to again get back on level terms eight minutes later. Mark Sherlock's first touch, when he found the net after coming on as a substitute, looked to have sealed an Athlone victory only for the home side to punish an indiscretion deep into stoppage time and grab an equaliser.
Shane Dempsey had the first chance of the game when he fired over for the home side inside the opening minute. Damien Rushe created the opening for Athlone's first chance after 9 minutes but Packie Holden advanced smartly to clear from Davy Ryan.
Noel McGee, revelling in the role of captain in the absence of Kevin Williamson, shot wide from in front of the posts after the ball was played in from the right. But, on 13 minutes, the away side's pressure paid off with the opening goal. Ryan made a good run forward from midfield and, after beating the full-back to make space for the shot, fired low across the goalkeeper to the far corner of the net from the left edge of the penalty area.
It was the ideal start for Athlone as the home team's heads, still smarting from the previous week's thrashing in Limerick, dropped somewhat. However, the Youths recovered and Michael Schlingermann had to be alert to prevent them from getting back on level terms. After 26 minutes, David Grincell's shot from the edge of the penalty area was blocked by the keeper's feet. Danny Furlong then fired over with Schlingermann again coming to the rescue just after the half hour mark when once more he blocked with his feet, this time to prevent Darragh Walshe from finding the net.
The home side's dominance ended when Dempsey sent a free kick wide as Athlone carved out a number of openings as half-time approached. Garry Higgins was off target with a free kick from the left, while a dangerous cross from the right by Jason Hughes was cleared by a stretched home rearguard. The visitors earned their first corner of the half after 37 minutes but Mike Kerley's men were rocked five minutes from the break as Wexford struck for an equaliser.
Grincell passed to Walshe on the edge of the penalty area and, after taking a touch to set up the strike, the number eleven shot low to the net as Schlingermann advanced. Wexford celebrated as if they had won the league as Grincell was smothered by delighted team-mates anxious to put their recent woes behind them.
It was a shock for Athlone but a brief rally in the closing moments might have sent the Town in for the break with a narrow lead. Hughes fired across the goalmouth and wide, while Rushe was denied at the expense of a corner kick with the ball then cleared behind for another corner.
The second half was slow to come to life with Athlone providing the only early highlights as they forced two further corners. The half suddenly exploded back into action just after the hour mark when Grincell intercepted an Athlone pass, but saw his goalbound shot hit off the 'keeper and away from danger.
Twenty minutes into the half, the visitors regained the lead as McGee finished smartly from six yards. Ryan's cross from the left picked out McGee and his shot on the turn made it six goals for the season for the striker.
Once more, though, Athlone let Wexford off the hook as a bad mistake from Schlingermann gifted the home side an equaliser after 73 minutes. Broaders' cross from the left looked a simple catching task for the Town 'keeper, but somehow he let the ball slip from his grasp and Furlong gratefully stabbed the ball home from close range.
Amazingly, the visitors went ahead for a third time following an inspired substitution by Mike Kerley, as Sherlock came on to replace former St Peter's team-mate Rushe. Joe Woods showed good vision to quickly send the ball forward, which caught out the home defence, and Sherlock - with his first touch of the ball - slotted low past the 'keeper to the net. It now looked like mission impossible for the Youths, who surely would not come back after this latest setback?
Following Athlone this season, though, has been a real rollercoaster of emotion for Town supporters, and this continued as the visitors obliged deep into stoppage time. Three additional minutes were indicated and with just 30 seconds remaining, Athlone were penalised on the left when Jamie Carr committed a foul. The full back was booked but all the visitors had to do from the resulting free kick was clear the danger, and the three points were secure. Dempsey sent in the free kick and Broaders got a touch to head the ball to the net and complete a remarkable comeback.
There was just enough time remaining for Athlone to restart the game before the referee blew the final whistle, with Wexford again celebrating an unlikely sharing of the spoils to finally grab their first home point in 2011.
WEXFORD YOUTHS: Packie Holden, Eoin Kinsella (Shane Nolan, 69 mins), James Darmody, Martin Kehoe (Tom Elmes, 90), Karl Keogh, Ben Ryan (Paul Malone, 81), Shane Dempsey, Danny Furlong, Dean Broaders, David Grincell, Darragh Walshe.
ATHLONE TOWN: Michael Schlingermann, Declan Fallon, Jamie Carr, Mark Walshe, Joe Woods, Stephen Relihan, Damien Rushe (Mark Sherlock, 81 mins), Jason Hughes, Davy Ryan, Garry Higgins (Tommy Barrett, 57), Noel McGee.
REFEREE: Kevin O'Regan (Kerry).
