League of Ireland First Division
Athlone Town 3
Waterford United 3
Matt Keane reports
Blues striker Eoin Rhodes on the attack
Waterford were leading three nil after 36 minutes and appeared to be in cruise control. but when striker Eoin Rhodes picked up a straight red shortly after the home side had pulled a goal back, the entire course of the game changed.
To make matters worse goalkeeper Corey Chambers had to be carried off as he suffered an injury trying to prevent Athlone’s second goal.
The Blues early pressure paid off with a fine breakthrough goal on eight minutes when a magnificent pass from James O’Brien found Anthony McAlavey out on the right side of the penalty area and he drilled a low shot to far corner past keeper Evan Moran.
The Blues extended their lead six minutes later when Eoin Rhodes was fouled 25-yards by Athlone’s Calvin Douglas and Darren Murphy drilled a low right-footed free kick under the body of keeper Moran to put his side in the driving seat.
Murphy could have notched his second goal of the game on 24 minutes when he got on the end of a left-wing touch from Eoin Rhodes but his right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area was well saved by Town keeper Evan Moran.
Waterford’s domination paid off with a third goal on 36 minutes. James O’Brien slipped the ball down the right channel for McAlavey, who brought the ball onto his left-foot before beating the home keeper at his near post.
Athlone Town pulled a goal back on 42 minutes when Marco Chindea’s long ball over the top wasn’t dealt with by the Blues defence. David Cassidy was allowed a clear run at goal and found the back of the empty net after rounding past the advancing Corey Chambers.
The talking point of the first half came minutes later when Sean Byrne was booked for hauling down Chindea on the right side of the penalty area and as Athlone prepared to take the free kick, a player hit the deck and the far assistant referee Shane O’Brien flagged for the attention of referee Mark Lynch.
The referee issued the Waterford United striker Eoin Rhodes with a straight red card to leave the visitors facing into the second half with only ten men.
Anthony McAlavey had a chance to grab his hat-trick with the first attack three minutes into the second half when he raced onto a through ball from the middle of the park but his goalbound effort was blocked away by the home defence.
Athlone made their extra man count with a goal on 75 minutes.
Conor Barry picked up the ball on the left and drilled the ball past Corey Chambers, who picked up an injury and was replaced by Matthew Sheehan.
Four minutes later the home side equalised when Daniel Purdy pounced on the ball 25-yards from goal and his cracking strike beat keeper Sheehan with a brilliant finish that found the net with the aid of the underside of the crossbar.
With two minutes remaining the Blues had a strong penalty appeal turned down when McAlavey linked up to send Dean Broaders into the clear on the left side of the area but when he went down, referee Mark Lynch pointed for a goal kick.
ATHLONE TOWN: Evan Moran, Calvin Douglas (Conor Barry `46), Ian Fletcher, Kevin Farragher, Jack Tuite, Val Feeney, Marco Chindea, David Cassidy, Alan O’Sullivan, Daniel Purdy, Emeka Onwubiko (Cian O’Sullivan `73)
WATERFORD UNITED:Corey Chambers, Robbie Buckley, Sean Byrne, Ian Sinnott, Colum Nugent, David O’Leary, James O’Brien, Darren Murphy (Dean Broaders `46), Eoin Rhodes, Anthony McAlavey, Dylan McGuire (Shane Mackey `81)
REFEREE: Mark Lynch
‘I thought we were home and hosed at three nil”. Roddy Collins
Needless to say Waterford manager Roddy Collins was a little upset following the outcome at the Athlone Town Stadium. The Blues boss had to watch the game from the press box as he began the first game of his six match suspension from the dugout. “I thought we were home and hosed at three nil but then we handed them a goal and then Eoin Rhodes got sent off .He should have known better . I just saw the linesman on the far side flagging like mad and then the Athlone player fell to the ground as if he had been shot and I knew we were in trouble.
“It was always going to be a battle in the second half with ten players and then we lost Corey Chambers. Young Matthew Sheehan went in goal and he was beaten shortly afterwards but he was not to blame for the goal because it was a very good strike. We are still waiting to get Roddy `Jnr and Yohann Fellrath cleared and that is doing my head in. Every possible problem is being put in our way. If those two were out there tonight we would not have conceded three goals. With 15 minutes remaining I had settled for the point which we got so all we can do now is move on from here”.