Can Athlone Town seal return to the big time?

Airtricity League 1st Division Preview

Kevin O'Neill

NEEDING just two points from the final three league games, Athlone Town can clinch the Airtricity League 1st Division title and promotion to the Premier Division for the first time in almost 20 years when they entertain fellow promotion hopefuls Waterford Utd at what is expected to be a packed Lissywollen tonight (Friday, 7.45pm).

A victory for Roddy Collins’ side, who currently lead the table by eight points from both Longford Town and tonight’s opposition, would ensure the league title tonight for the Town. A draw will also guarantee the title tonight if second placed Longford fail to beat Mervue Utd in Fahy’s Field (also 7.45pm). That fixture is paved with difficulty for Longford, as Mervue have won their last three league games and will move to within a point of Longford should they beat them tonight.

Athlone have also received a massive boost ahead of the game with Roddy Collins confirming to the Westmeath Independent this morning that key midfielder James O’Brien - restricted to a role on the bench last weekend due to a shin injury - has trained well this week and should start the match.

Roddy said: “James will be fine. Initially I thought he’d miss the rest of the season but he trained three nights this week and is grand. We got a specialist to look at the problem and it’s a case of James playing through the pain, which won’t be a problem for the lad. It’s a massive lift to have James and every other player in the squad available for selection at this stage in the season.”

Roddy also urged the Athlone supporters to revel in the occasion.
“There’s no pressure on us. I’d like to win the league in style in front of our own supporters but if it drags into next weekend, then it drags into next weekend and you deal with it accordingly. This type of occasion should be celebrated because we’ve got the crowds coming back to the club and are in a super position with an eight point lead at the top of the table. I want to finish the season in some style and we’re relaxed about tonight and confident of getting the job done,” said Collins, who will recall Philly Gorman (Athlone’s top goalscorer) and goalkeeper Paul Skinner following suspensions.

Athlone’s pursuit of the 1st Division title has been built on a tremendous 14 game unbeaten run with six straight wins in the league. The Town have only lost once at home in the league this season but that defeat did come against tonight’s opponents. In fact, Athlone have failed to beat Waterford Utd in 20 attempts since the Blues returned to the 1st Division in 2008. During that period the sides have played nine times in Lissywollen with Waterford winning six and the other three meetings ending in draws.

Ironically, Waterford were the visitors to Athlone on the last occasion that the Town went close to securing promotion to the Premier Division at the end of the 2000/01 season. On that occasion, Liam Buckley’s Athlone needed to beat Waterford to secure automatic promotion but were held to a scoreless draw. Athlone subsequently lost a promotion play-off against UCD.

Waterford player-coach David Breen, who played briefly for Athlone a few years ago under Brendan Place, is planning to spoil Athlone’s party tonight. They come into the game on the back of a 4-0 win at home to Wexford Youths. They have only lost two of their last 14 league matches, a run which helped them recover their position in the table after a slow start to the campaign and the dismissal of their manager. It has been a case of win or lose on the road for Waterford this season and they haven’t had a single draw away from the home patch.

Speaking ahead of the game, David Breen said: “It’s a few years since Athlone beat us but we’ll be heading to Athlone to spoil their party and put it on hold for another time. We have nothing to lose going up there, however we need to win to remain in the play-off spots. It will give our lads the chance to experience a hostile atmosphere. I’m hoping that in a play-off situation it will be similar. The experience of playing in a game and in an atmosphere that we’re expecting Friday night will do us no harm.”

Long-term absentee Michael Coady could be joined on the Waterford sidelines by veteran defender John Frost, who is a doubt with a calf injury.

TONIGHT’S PERMUTATIONS

Here is a brief synopsis of what could unfurl this weekend as Athlone prepare to entertain fellow promotion candidates Waterford Utd at Lissywollen.

*IF Athlone Town WIN against Waterford Utd they will be eleven points ahead of Waterford and at least eight points ahead of Longford Town with only two games remaining and will thus be confirmed as league champions.

*IF Athlone Town DRAW against Waterford Utd, Waterford will remain eight points behind Athlone and thus be out of the title race. A DRAW will be good enough to confirm Athlone as champions on the night if second-placed Longford FAIL to BEAT Mervue Utd at Fahy’s Field (also Friday at 7.45pm). Longford’s trip to Fahy’s Field could be paved with difficulty as Mervue are still in contention to finish in the top-three and are currently just four points adrift of both Longford and Waterford.

*IF Athlone Town lose against Waterford, they will be five points ahead of Waterford (and possibly Longford, if they beat Mervue) with two league matches remaining. Athlone would then require a win in their next match, away to Finn Harps, to be sure of the title.

*The only way Athlone can lose the title at this stage is by failing to accumulate more than one point in their final three games (which includes a home fixture against Longford on the final day of the season). But even if such a scenario evolves, it would take either Longford or Waterford winning all three of their remaining fixtures. In that scenario Athlone would finish level on points with the team that won their three remaining games, meaning the title would be decided on goal difference. At present Athlone have a slightly superior goal difference to Longford (one goal) while Waterford’s goal difference at present is eight goals worse than Athlone’s.  

THE RUN-IN

Athlone Town:
September 27 - home to Waterford Utd
October 4 - away to Finn Harps
October 12 - home to Longford Town.

Longford Town:
September 27 - away to Mervue Utd
October 5 - home to Wexford Youths
October 12 - away to Athlone Town.

Waterford Utd:
September 27 - away to Athlone Town
October 4 - home to Salthill Devon
October 12 - away to Cobh Ramblers.