Well that was a load of rubbish!
Another two points dropped against poor opposition, a point off Shels and a game more played, despite having face off against four pretty poor sides.
Leaving school on Friday afternoon I was feeling positive about the trip, my first away game of the season, getting to see me bud from Athlone, and what I expected to be a handy enough three points, even for this side, who are about as consistent as a bowl of lumpy custard.
We got into the car and started the journey of about 250 kilometers, from the real capital to the centre of the country. We coasted up the motorway, and despite being held up in the 'Birthplace of the GAA' we got through the annoyances of Templemore, Ferbane, Roscrea and Birr with no problems, getting to Athlone about three hours after we had departed.
After the usual tour around the central town of Ireland (Including passing a roundabout that had a beautiful front of daffodils on one side, and nothing but soil on the other!) we got to the ground.
By then the match had kicked off in front of a packed crowd of 294 at the Athlone Town stadium, and City had already put the ball in the net through Vinny Sullivan, though the ex-Waterford front-man was called offside. Vincent Escudé-Canadu has massively disappointed since signing his contract, but did have a speculative fall just over the bar from outside the box in the 13th minute.
Just before the half hour mark City found themselves in trouble, with Ronan Stack one-on-one with Mark McNulty, but the Ballincollig native got down well to parry the ball away. Vinny Sullivan had two headed chances which he couldn't covert, and Vincent scored another point, putting his shot over the goal-frame from close range.
McNulty hasn't been able to see a game out this season without making one major clanger from his passing, and last Friday was no different. The City netminder sliced his clearence straight to Town striker Colm Smith, who had he shwon a bit more conviction could've easily broken the deadlock before an impressing Kalen Spillane closed him down.
The half-time whistle came, and it looked like Athlone's u17 team during the warm up, with most of the lads looking like they wouldn't be out of place in a Junior Cert maths class. My buddy and I reveled in the absolute uselessness of Town's substitute goalkeeper, and play resumed.
It seemed though that whatever Tommy Dunne had said to his men had made absolutely no impact whatsoever, as City's play was just as lackadaisical and predicable as it was in the first period. Athlone shut up shop, and the Rebel Army just couldn't break their way through; and despite some stirling work in beating men done by messieurs O'Brien and Murphy on the left win, the end product was below par. I'd say maybe one dangerous cross was played in during the entirety of the second half, one which Town keeper Michael Schlingerman caught with relative ease. Athlone's big bustling back four were content to sit deep and head every cross that actually stayed in play away.
Graham Cummins fell over and earned himself a booking, and a kid boppin off the kid from up fell over an advertising board (the highlight of the game it must be said) as Dunne took of one of our most effective players in the shape of Derek O'Brien, bringing on Jamie Murphy. Also on the pitch was Timmy Kiely (Why we signed him I still can't work out) who came on for Sullivan up front, and both subs just served to weaken City's attacking strength. Murphy far too lightweight to compete with Athlone's strong back line, and Timmy Kiely? Well, he was just being Timmy Kiely, and doing a fantastic job of it I must say, credit where credit is due.
The midlands outfit never looked to be in any danger of conceding, but the same couldn't be said for City, who were gifting Athlone chance after chance with mistakes made in their own half, had the Town had a few more bodies up front they could have easily taken all three points.
We left Athlone as soon as possible in a sombre mood. Having seen both the Athlone and Mervue draw my Dad and his buddy were already sick and tired, and I can never remember a quieter trip home. I tried to catch some sleep on the way back but couldn't, and faced into another soccer marathon in my school after my first earlier on up the country. Thankfully the school one was a bit successful (though I didn't get to sleep until about half 10 that morning, having gone 28 hours and six in a car without any sleep)
It was a pain in the arse trying to write about that game last Friday, so make sure you reward me by reading next week, when we face an almighty task in trying to beat Monaghan United next week. A task we have no hope of achieving if we perform anything like we did last time out; if consistency is the key then we've locked ourselves out.
(Pictures up soon hopefully)
See ya later,
Kev
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