Athlone fight back to hold Dundalk in First Division tie
By ArdeePost Reporter
Athlone Town 1–1 Dundalk
(Connolly 71’) – (McDaid 7’)
Athlone Town produced a spirited second-half comeback to frustrate league leaders Dundalk and secure a share of the spoils in their SSE Airtricity First Division clash on Friday night.
Dundalk, who are pushing hard for a return to the Premier Division, took an early lead when Declan McDaid – lining out against his former club – struck from the edge of the box on seven minutes. His low drive beat Andrew Stuart-Trainor in the Athlone goal and appeared to set the tone for what could have been a comfortable evening for the visitors.
The Lilywhites dominated much of the opening half, creating a number of opportunities to extend their lead. Gbemi Arubi sent a header over the bar, McDaid forced Stuart-Trainor into a smart save, while Conor O’Keeffe narrowly missed the target with a looping effort. In first-half stoppage time, Eoin Kenny found space on the break but Stuart-Trainor stood firm to block his attempt.
Athlone offered little in attack during the first period, but the second half told a different story. Boosted by the introduction of Jason Oyenuga, the home side pressed higher and created more meaningful chances. Oyenuga himself came close shortly after the restart, only to be denied by Dundalk goalkeeper Peter Cherrie at the near post.
Dundalk nearly killed off the contest just after the hour mark when Aodh Dervin rattled the post with a fierce effort, but the miss proved costly. In the 71st minute, Aaron Connolly, another halftime substitute, made his mark by drilling a free kick from the edge of the box into the bottom corner to stun the travelling supporters.
The equaliser lifted the hosts, though Dundalk still had late chances to reclaim the lead through Norman Garbett and Kenny, but Athlone held firm to claim a valuable point.
Reaction
The result halts Dundalk’s winning momentum in their bid for promotion, though they remain at the top of the First Division standings. For Athlone, the draw represents a morale-boosting performance, showing resilience against the division’s pace-setters.
The return of Connolly, capped with a goal, will also be a huge positive for the Midlanders as they look to build on this battling display.
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