Oct 29,2024
Athlone Town got the draw they needed to book a meeting with Bray Wanderers in the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division play-off final after a hard-fought encounter in Ferrycarrig Park
Trailing to a Dean Ebbe penalty after the first leg Wexford needed a win here, but try as they might they just couldn't break down a committed Athlone outfit.
The visitors almost got off to the perfect start with Kyle Robinson testing goalkeeper Conor Walsh inside the opening 30 seconds.
Wexford had to wait until the 15th minute for their first sight of goal when Thomas Oluwa cut inside and saw his right-footed shot blocked, while moments later Darragh Levingston’s effort hit a defender.
The home side lost the influential Kian Corbally to injury in the 22nd minute, with Conor Crowley taking his place, but they continued to grow into the game as the first half wore on.
Mark Hanratty was next to see his shot ricochet off an Athlone player after being found by Oluwa and Wexford created their first clearcut opportunity in the 33rd minute.
Crowley’s cross from the left was helped on by Thomas Oluwa into the path of Aaron Dobbs, but the striker skewed his left-footed shot wide of the right post.
Moments later the Slaneysiders threatened again when Seán McHale got his head to a James Crawford corner, but the ball looped harmlessly into the arms of Enda Minogue, with Oluwa warming the netminder’s gloves in the next attack.
Oluwa then got his head to a dangerous Hanratty cross, but couldn’t steer his effort on target, while, at the other end, the midlanders had a gilt-edged chance to give themselves some breathing space in the 45th minute.
Gideon Tetteh slid the ball to Kyle Robinson and, although the attacker worked space for the shot well, he blazed his strike over to the relief of the home contingent.
An overhit James Crawford free-kick deep into first-half injury time had Minogue back-pedalling but the sides went in scoreless at the break.
Wexford continued to probe after the change of ends and in the 57th minute Oluwa got to the byline and pulled the ball back to Levingston, but again an Athlone body got in the way.
Five minutes later a Divin Isamala cross from the right found the feet of Luka Lovic, but his drive cleared the crossbar.
Athlone almost pounced for a killer goal in the 70th minute when Tetteh slid Kyle Robinson in, but his shot from a tight angle was smothered by Walsh. The visitors almost took the lead in spectacular fashion when a powerful long-range effort from Brian Torre was deflected on to the crossbar and out for a corner.
Lively substitute Kaylem Harnett came close to grabbing a precious goal for James Keddy’s side when he was put through on goal by Aaron Dobbs, but his effort was cleared before it could cross the line.
The same pair combined again two minutes later, and this time Harnett’s well-struck shot was saved by the legs of Minogue. In between those two efforts, Agbo Babatunde’s curler was comfortably held by Walsh.
In injury time Harnett drilled a delicious ball across the face of goal that was begging to be finished to net, while Minogue was forced to tip Conor Crowley’s free-kick out for a corner.
The hosts had one last chance to force extra-time, but Dobbs glanced a header wide and Athlone march on to the final.
Wexford FC: Conor Walsh; Divin Isamala, Lewis Temple, Seán McHale, James Crawford (Mikie Rowe 59); Kian Corbally (Conor Crowley 21), Darragh Levingston, Luka Lovic (Cian Curtis 65), Mark Hanratty; Thomas Oluwa (Kaylem Harnett 77), Aaron Dobbs (capt.).
Athlone Town: Enda Minogue; Oisín Duffy (capt.) (Armado Akeem Oakley 45+4), German Fuentes Rodriguez, Dylan Hand, Brian Torre; Daniel McKenna; Kyle Robinson (Jamar Campion Hinds 77), Leonardo Gaxha, Noah van Geenan (Aaron Connolly 46), Gideon Tetteh (Agbo Babatunde 82); Dean Ebbe.
Referee: Alan Patchell.
