Published: Thursday, 17th July, 2008 10:23am

McGee hits winner as Athlone end long wait for victory over Longford

It had been almost nine and a half years since Athlone Town last defeated midland rivals Longford Town in a league encounter. That lengthy wait came to an end when Noel McGee smashed the ball home from close range fifteen minutes from time on Friday.

This home victory was particularly sweet for Athlone as it also reversed one of the club"s worst results of the season - a 3-0 defeat at Flancare Park in May.

Last Friday"s encounter may not have been a classic from the neutral"s perspective, but the level of entertainment on offer was of secondary importance to the Town maintaining an impressive run of late. In all competitions since the beginning of June, and including last week"s friendly against Brighton, Athlone have won three, drawn two, and lost just once - a single-goal defeat caused by a dubious penalty decision away from home against Dundalk.

This series of result means Dermot Lennon"s side has lifted itself from the foot of the league to sit in eighth place in Division One - a point ahead of Wexford Youths and four points clear of bottom-placed Kildare County, who are Athlone"s opponents at home this Saturday.

A cup tie against Galway United and the high-profile visit of Roy Keane"s Sunderland to Athlone means this summer is shaping to be a much more enticing time for the club than earlier league results had indicated.

The Longford side which lined out against Athlone last week certainly had a familiar look to it, with no fewer than five of its members having previously worn the blue and black. Ronan Frawley, Damien Rushe, Luke Hardy, Shane Harte and Iarfhlaith Davoren were the ex-Athlone players who faced their former club, while one-time Longford favourite Eric Lavine came up against the club he represented for several years.

Athlone"s line-up featured just one change from the side which had faced Dundalk at Oriel Park eight days previously, with the experienced Jim Sheridan replacing Des Hope in the centre of the defence.

Heavy rainfall during the first half of the friendly against Brighton 48 hours earlier had led to some concern about the possible condition of the pitch at Lissywoollen, but the weather remained dry during this fixture and, aside from one or two blemishes, the surface looked to be in good shape.

Longford - managed by former Athlone Town boss Aaron Callaghan - shaded a quiet opening half. However, Callaghan was forced to make two changes in the opening half hour, losing captain Ronan Frawley to injury after eleven minutes and then having to replace Alan O"Riordan for the same reason on the half-hour mark. Longford striker Darren McKenna got in good positions on several occasions in the first half but was let down by lacklustre finishing. A case in point came after nineteen minutes when he raced to the near post to meet Daire Doyle"s corner kick, only to fire a half-volley over the bar.

Recent signing John Mernagh and Robbie Hamm were responsible for Athlone"s best chances of the half. After 31 minutes Mernagh beat his man and hit the target with his shot which was saved at full-stretch by Neil Gallagher in the visitors" goal.

A minute later, Hamm unleashed a decent effort from outside the box, which flew just wide of the target.

The best chance of the half fell to Longford after 38 minutes. Former Athlone Town midfielder Damien Rushe floated in a cross which was met by the unmarked McKenna, eight yards from goal. The striker will have been disappointed that he didn"t do better with his header, which was comfortably tipped over by Athlone"s Ciaran Kelly.

On the stroke of half-time, Longford frontman Davoren played a one-two with McKenna and hit the target but his shot again failed to trouble Kelly. At the other end, Ian Coffey did well to carve out space for himself under pressure but his shot from the edge of the box flew high and wide.

Athlone improved after the interval and three minutes into the second half, Mernagh just failed to make contact with a good cross that Ian Coffey had sent to the back post. A similar opportunity presented itself on 52 minutes as Athlone substitute and new signing Joey Maloney showed good footwork on the wing to send in a good cross for Mernagh who, again, was just inches from getting the vital touch in front of goal.

The locals then won two free kicks in good positions at the edge of the area, but Coffey and Ian Rossiter failed to take advantage, hitting the wall and shooting over the bar respectively.

Though they had a fair share of the possession, Longford created little in the second half. You got the impression that a single goal would settle the outcome and that goal came from Athlone"s first corner of the game on 75 minutes. Coffey swung it into a crowded six yard box and Eric Lavine tried to get a shot in before the ball broke kindly to McGee. His finish was emphatic.

Spurred on by a small but vocal away support, Longford tried to respond in the closing stages. Yet it was Athlone who created the more clear cut chances in the dying moments.

Coffey, who has been a significant addition to the Athlone side since making his first-team debut in May, had a shot blocked by the Longford goalie"s legs in injury time. McGee then went on a fine run before shooting wide from inside the box.

Athlone will now go into Saturday"s clash against Kildare County with justifiable confidence as they aim to continue their climb away from the wrong end of the First Division table.

Athlone Town: Ciaran Kelly; Ian Rossiter; Philip Reilly; Nigel Keady; Jim Sheridan; Colm Jinks; Robbie Hamm (Noel McGee 65); Anthony Hayes (Joey Maloney h-t); Eric Lavine; Ian Coffey; John Mernagh (Carmine Russo 81).

Longford Town: Neil Gallagher; Daithi Garry; Alan O"Riordan (Jimmy Hussey 30); Daire Doyle; Ronan Frawley (Stephen Brennan 11); Luke Hardy; Jason Oladele; Damien Rushe; Shane Harte; Darren McKenna (Martin Molloy 56); Iarfhlaith Davoren.

Referee: Eddie McNally.