Published: Wednesday, 2nd June, 2010 5:00pm

Skelly nets winner as Town stun Cork with Leeside win

Cork City FC 0 Athlone Town 1

ATHLONE Town chalked up only their second away win of the season when they shocked Cork City before a crowd of 1,351 at Turner's Cross over the weekend.

Athlone, with just one away win all year at Salthill Devon on the opening day, grabbed the lead in the 17th minute, when top scorer Austin Skelly netted with an overhead kick, and despite sustained pressure from the home team, they never relinquished their advantage.

It was Skelly's fourth goal of the season as the ex-Dublin City and Dundalk man connected perfectly with Gordon Watson's dropping ball in the box after he had headed it back into space.

It was no more than the visitors deserved after they made five changes to the team that lost to Mervue last week, though it has to be said that Cork passed up some great scoring chances as well.

The result will give Brendan Place and his players some breathing space, after two dreadfully disappointing performances in recent weeks, picking up only a single point from meetings with strugglers Salthill Devon and Mervue Utd.

Not including Athlone's defeat of Sporting Fingal on the final day of last season - when Fingal rested many players in the build-up to a promotion play-off and the FAI Cup final - it was also the first time Athlone have defeated a team other than strugglers Kildare County, Longford Town, Mervue Utd, Salthill Devon, or Wexford Youths, since beating Monaghan Utd in October 2008.

The win should be enough to instil some confidence in the Athlone players, and it must also be pointed out that the victory coincided with the return of the exceptional Des Hope in central defence.

Athlone have only lost once this season with Hope in the side, away to Derry City, but have only picked up a single point (against Salthill Devon) from the four games Hope has missed this season.

The Ballinasloe-based defender was back in tandem with Brian McCarthy for this game, allowing Stephen Caffrey to return to his favoured midfield role. Eoghan O'Shea, left out for the first time this season against Mervue Utd, returned at left-back.

Partnering Caffrey in the centre of the field, in the absence of the injured Robbie Benson, was Stephen Place, who made a quicker than expected return to action after a knee injury that was thought likely to keep him sidelined for several months.

Richie O'Hanlon also returned on the right side of midfield, replacing Niall Scullion, with Gordon Watson handed another chance to impress alongside goalscorer Austin Skelly.

City were unlucky not to take the points against promotion chasing Waterford Utd the previous week, and with just one loss in eleven games, came into this tie wearing a big favourites tag.

In an even start to the game, Gordon Watson had his header saved easily by Mark McNulty in the sixth minute, while Uros Hojan fired wide from 20 yards at the other end.

Athlone did line up to attack though, and they reaped the awards in the 17th minute with Skelly firing home.

Mark Nolan was influential in the build-up, as Watson headed back into Skelly's path, Athlone's top-scorer firing a superb overhead kick into the bottom corner of the Cork net, leaving McNulty with no chance.

The away side were having a field day at the back, with some reckless football in the final third giving Cork little chance to break the Midlanders down. The introduction of Paul Deasy on the left wing for Cork just after the half hour saw a major reshuffle, with Uros Hojan switching to defence, Greg O'Halloran moving into the middle, and Dave Warren taken off with a knock.

And it almost paid off. Deasy's impact was immediately felt as his superb dead-ball was planted onto O'Halloran's head, and his headed effort was cleared off the line by Stephen Place. Much of Cork's attacking play was engineered by the wingers, and Davin O'Neill went close just before the break, with Chris Bennion saving well, as half-time came at the right moment from an Athlone point of view.

Cork played some of their best football at the start of the second half but Cillian Lordan and Uros Hojan were off target, and then O'Halloran was booked as he chased O'Neill's pass into the box and collided with Bennion.

Cummins had a glancing header go wide and Bennion made two more excellent saves from Cummins and O'Halloran as Athlone rode their luck towards the end.

It was the 'Town's first win in six outings, but they deserved all three points on what was their first visit to Leeside for 15 years. Bennion was excellent in goal, Des Hope and Brian McCarthy were solid at the back, Stephen Caffrey worked hard in midfield, and goal hero Skelly was a right handful for the home defence.

Cork won the corner count 14-6, but that made no difference whatsoever at the end as Athlone triumphed, and now look forward to their Ford FAI Cup clash away to Sligo Rovers at the weekend. Despite their disappointing form recently, this result moved Athlone back into seventh position in the First Division.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Ian Turner, Stephen Mulcahy, Greg O'Halloran, Dave Rogers; Cillian Lordan, Davin O'Neill, Dave Warren, Shane Duggan, Uros Hojan; Graham Cummins. Subs: Paul Deasy for Warren (36 mins), Gearoid Morrissey for O'Halloran and Eoin Forde for Turner (both 78).

Athlone Town: Chris Bennion; Mark Nolan, Des Hope, Brian McCarthy, Eoghan O'Shea; Stephen Caffrey, Richie O'Hanlon, Stephen Place, Gordon Watson, Austin Skelly, Shane O' Connell: Subs. Niall Scullion for O'Connell (67 mins), Shane Dolan for Skelly (73), Stephen Relihan for Watson (89).

Referee: Stuart Templeman (Kerry).

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