Shine beams with local pride as Athlone prepare for next test
Athlone Town's emphatic victory over Cardiff City on Wednesday night was surely extra special for Kayleigh Shine as she played a Champions League match for her home town team.
"If you were to ask me a few years ago, would I ever imagine playing in the Champions League, I would have told you that was a myth. But I think playing for my home town, it's about having the heart to play for the badge and that's what we've done here tonight,” the Drum woman told the Westmeath Independent after the 4-0 victory.
Fellow Athlone native Hazel Donegan saw action off the bench, while Kayleigh also spared a thought for Monksland's Chloe Singleton, who is still out of action with a long term injury.
"There are a few other local girls, you know, that could be on the pitch today like Chloe Singleton, who would have given an arm and a leg to be on the pitch,” said Shine.
With a crowd of 1,916 fans turning up on the night, Shine was delighted to see the level of support Athlone had and the cracking atmosphere that was generated.
"I don't think we could have asked for any better. The crowd that came out tonight was just crazy. And I think they were kind of our 12th man on the pitch today. They helped us get over the line,” said Shine.
"We were kind of expecting a big crowd. We've had President’s Cup games down here and we've had a lot of people come and support us. But I think the chat around the town up to this one, it was so big. I think it was over 40 years ago since there was something like this here (a European fixture). So it’s great to bring it back to the town and to go again on Saturday,” added the accomplished defender.
Shine admitted the fact that Cardiff were in pre-season mode was a factor in the comfortable nature of Athlone's victory.
"We're in the middle of the season now, so we should be at prime fitness, and injuries are not something we're too worried about at the moment. I suppose you could see there with themselves near the end, they were kind of cramping up, going down and stuff like that. We were well able (to keep going). That showed a weakness in them to us and we just kept firing it down their throats at them,” said Kayleigh.
"It might have looked like a comfortable game, I suppose with the goals that we scored, but we just take the chances when they come around. We're not messing around; we're putting it in the back of the net. We had a good lead going in at half-time and just trying to keep that lead was then our main priority."
Athlone are now preparing for a clash against ZNK Agram today (Saturday, kick-off 4pm), but in the immediate aftermath of the Cardiff game, it was no surprise that Shine and her colleagues hadn’t given much thought to the Croatian champions.
"This was our main goal. You know, if we didn't win tonight, there would be no Saturday. So that was our main focus," said Shine, adding that the players would enjoy the night and then focus on the clash with the Croatian outfit from the next day on.
Athlone manager Colin Fortune had the luxury of taking off some players in the second half against Cardiff and giving younger members of the squad a chance to impress.
"I think it was great to get the young girls on the pitch and to be able to bring them into a game that we had control of. It's a great experience for them, seeing them get on the ball and, you know, the standard never changed. We still kept fighting. They came on and they did exactly what they had to do. We rely on everybody, it's not just 11 players on the pitch. The girls sitting on the bench have to be able to fill in those places when we need them and that's what they did,” Shine added.
*See report on the Athlone Town vs Cardiff City game here