Sporting Fingal 2-0 Athlone Town
Sunday, 16 March 2008 21:21League of Ireland newcomers Sporting Fingal got their season up and running before a crowd of 1,234 at Morton Stadium with a comprehensive first win of the new season.
Early goals from Peter Hynes and Conan Byrne did the damage as Athlone were left to rue dreadfully poor defending.
Sporting blew a chance to take the lead after just two minutes when Philip Byrne's free header from skipper Paul Caffrey's corner was deflected wide when he really should have scored.
The home side then had a right let-off five minutes later when Athlone had a goal disallowed. David O'Dowd latched onto Colin Jinks' ball into the area but was ruled offside even before he struck the ball into the net.
In a lively opening, Sporting then took the lead from the resultant free-kick.
Keeper Steve Williams' punt picked out Hynes who raced in behind the Athlone rearguard. And though Nigel Keady did well to block the striker's initial shot, the ball rebounded kindly for Hynes who swept it past Ciaran Kelly.
Athlone's defending was shocking and it was no surprise that Sporting went 2-0 up on 22 minutes.
Kelly, who had saved at the feet of Conan Byrne just minutes before, did well to parry another header by Philip Byrne from a Caffrey corner. But Conan Byrne followed up to blast the rebound to the net from six yards.
Athlone made changes and were better in the second half, almost getting a goal back on 62 minutes.
Defender Philip O'Reilly got on the end of Robbie Hamm's free-kick, but his header was tipped over the bar by an alert Williams.
But it was Kelly at the other end who had to excel to keep the score down with good stops from Conan Byrne and then Caffrey as Sporting's win was never in any real doubt.
Athlone had debutant Niall Scullion, on the pitch just two minutes, sent off eight minutes from time for head butting Dave Rogers.
Sporting Fingal: Williams; Tyrrell, P. Byrne, Rogers, Kelly (Collins, 80); C. Byrne (McArdle, 90), P. Caffrey, Crawford, James, Doyle; Hynes.
Athlone Town: Kelly; Rossiter, O'Reilly, Keady, Young (Hayes, 24); Hamm, Jinks, Tierney (Moran, 60), McCartney (Scullion, 81); O'Dowd, Lavine.
Referee: Mark Gough (Limerick).
