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Match Report: Finn Harps 2-0 ATAFC

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Harps Find Success

Athlone continue to find the trip to Finn Park a tricky fixture. With a lot of games falling foul of the weather it will be the Harps fans who will be the happier with how this game played out.

Both teams certainly have an attractive style of play and Athlone being positive were trying to play out from the back. Enda Minogue played the ball to Dylan Hand who was immediately pressed by Success Edgon just outside the 18-yard box. Hand looked for Aaron Connolly near the half line, but the Finn Harps press was very good, and they nicked the ball back. The interception found its was to Edgon who crossed from the right first time to find Stephen Doherty in space who turned the ball home.

Finn Harps thought they doubled their lead in the 28th minute following a cross from the right-hand side saw a mix up between Fuentes Rodriguez and Minogue in goal but the ball was cleared off the line much to the relief of the Athlone back line. Van Geenen thought had had Athlone level in the 37th minute when at the back post he was found by a Dylan Hand flick on but he shot narrowly over.

Just before the half time whistle Harps did double their lead. From a Tony McNamee free kick on the right-hand side, he floated a ball into Jamie Watson whose miss control fell kindly to an unmarked Edgon who drilled the ball home from 12 yards out to make it 2-0.

Athlone started the Second half brightly and in the 50th minute substitute Gideon Tetteh found a bit of space on the right-hand side and showed great feet to dig out a cross and found Connolly in the box whose header hit the bar and went over.

On the 83rd minute, a long ball by German Fuentes Rodriguez over the top gave Dean Ebbe something to chase and with the ball there to be won he slide but collided with Harps keeper Tim-Oliver Hiemer and the referee duly showed him a yellow card. Harps managed the second half well and held on for the clean sheet and three points.

Athlone will be happy with their second half performance but will be looking at 5 points dropped rather than 4 points gained this campaign.

Following match day three this result drops Athlone to fourth and propels Harps to second in the table.

Athlone Town AFC: Enda Minogue, German Fuentes Rodriguez, Jarlath Jones (Oisin Duffy 56’), Noah van Geenen (Gideon Tette 45’), Daniel McKenna (Ruban Candal 86’), Dylan Hand, Aaron Connolly (C), Dean Ebbe, Carl Mujaguzi, Amardo Oakley, Jamal Ibrahim (Dylan Gavin 56’)            

Unused Substitutes: Andrew Stuart Trainor, Shane Forbes, Brian Torre, Matthew Leal, Abdul Barrie

Bookings: Jones (42′), van Geenen (45′), Ebbe (85′) Fuentes Rodriguez (98′)

Attendance: 1,527

AthloneTownAFC.ie Man of The Match: Gideon Tetteh