Athlone come from behind to beat Kerry
Kerry started the brighter of the two teams and had the ball in the back of the net after 3 minutes when McCarthy played the ball over the top to Kennedy Amechi who chipped the ball over the on rushing Enda Minogue who had heard the whistle for the offside stopping his run.
The Kerrymen did find the front after twenty minutes following a very harsh penalty call. The ball bounced up off the ground hitting Aaron Connolly on the hand from an attempted Athlone clearance. Amechi made no mistake from the stop going low to the keepers right putting Kerry 1-0 up.
Kerry should have made it two moments later when Ryan Kelliher made a great run into the box, beat two Athlone players and rounded Minogue but hit the ball into the side netting.
Athlone probably thought they should have a penalty of their own when Torre was taken down in the area in the 37th minute but Athlone always find themselves on the wrong end of these decisions.
Athlone were starting to play and putting pressure on the Kerry defence and created a couple of chances. Athlone weren’t able to test the Kerry defence in any significant way.
Athlone drew level in the 43rd minute, an Oisin Duffy cross from the right-hand side just near the edge of the box wasn’t dealt with by Samuel Aladesanusi and Ruben Candal slotted it home from 10 yards getting his first goal for the club and we went into the break at 1-1.
Kerry could have had a wonderful start to the second half when from a corner Andy Spain headed back across goal and McCarthy was unmarked but couldn’t find the target with his header.
Things looked like they went from bad to worse for Athlone when Oisin Duffy pulled up while chasing a ball, he tried to stay going but he was able to continue and was withdrawn.
Athlone had a great chance to take the lead in the 57th minute when from a Torre ball in from the right Dean Ebbe climbed highest and his header was cleared off the line by Kevin Williams. It was a great chance to take the lead. It looked like at this point the next goal would win the game.
What happened next, we won’t be able to do justice but Carl Mujaguzi scored a goal of the season contender. Athlone were getting some joy with a long throw from Jamar on the right-hand side. Jamar’s long throw was cleared but only as far as Mujaguzi who with an acrobatic effort found the top left hand corner and put the Town 2-1 up. What a hit if you didn’t see it you need to.
It was really the walking wounded for the away side, when Connolly, who took the captains armband from the injured Duffy was forced off himself with an injury.
Dean Ebbe inspired by Mujaguzi’s goal tried a spectacular effort himself on 77 minutes but it didn’t come off. They had another great chance shortly afterwards when Mujaguzi and Ebbe linked well with a one two and Mujaguzi struck the post from the shot from 18 yards.
It was a real tight affair for the last few minutes and the few substitutes trying to manage to see the game out and Tetteh could have wrapped up the game in the 95th minute when he found himself in on goal but he pulled his shot wide.
Athlone held on for an important win on the road and very happy with the three points on the road which were hard come by this season. It has come at a cost thought with Jones now suspended for next week, and both Duffy and Connolly an injury concern.
Following match day eleven this result sees Athlone staying sixth and drops Kerry to ninth in the table.
Athlone Town AFC: Enda Minogue, Jarlath Jones, Daniel McKenna, Ruben Candal (Gideon Tetteh 89’), Aaron Connolly (Shane Forbes 72’), Dean Ebbe, Jamar Campion-Hinds (Roscoe Rubinstein 89’), Carl Mujaguzi, Oisin Duffy (C) (Amardo Oakley 53’), Brian Torre, Matthew Leal
Unused Substitutes: Andrew Stuart Trainor, Shaun O’Donnell, Divine Izekor, Brendan Lauder, Ciaran Nolan
Bookings: Jones (80′)
Attendance: 742
AthloneTownAFC.ie Man of The Match: Carl Mujaguzi
