Athlone Pluck A Point From Harps
Fri 13th July 2012. Airtricity League Division 1
Athlone Town 1-1 Finn Harps
A horrific first half display was apt for the Friday the 13th date as Athlone extended their unbeaten run to 3 games with a 1-1 draw with Finn Harps.
Despite playing at home, and Finn Harps occupying a spot 2 places behind in the table, Athlone started the game with Mark Sherlock as the lone striker in front of a 5 man midfield.
With Noel McGee and Brian McCarthy both on the bench, recent signing Stephen Last took the captains armband on his home debut, and his presence in the back line was one of the few positive points of the game.
Harps took the lead just before the half time break when, the usually unflappable, Pat Jennings flapped at a free kick and as the ball bounced inside the box Aaron O’Hagan slotted home into an empty net.
In the second half, Neil Harney came on for his debut while Noel McGee also came off the bench to bolster the Town attack. With some bite in midfield, plus 2 up front, Athlone started to have more of an impact as the half progressed. Inside ten minutes of the reshuffle, and with Athlone having a bit more energy about them, Sherlock and McGee combined to level the game.
With a new found hunger, Athlone kept the pressure on with Sherlock, Harney and Joe Woods all trying to trouble Ciaran Gallagher in the Finn Harps goal.
On the hour mark, Mark McGoldrick was next to get a debut and the Sligo man came close to being a match winner only for his effort to roll just wide of the post.
And so it ended honours even, and although Athlone finished the game the stronger of the sides, the cautious start was almost their undoing!
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Neil Harney gets stuck into Harps goalscorer Aaron O’Hagan on his Athlone Town debut
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