Athlone Town and Finn Harps shared the spoils following a two-all draw at the Athlone Town Stadium on Saturday evening to remain in fourth and ninth place respectively on the league table.
The home side took the lead after 16 minutes when Ryan Casey’s cross picked out Paul McTiernan inside the penalty area. The Athlone forward’s initial effort was blocked but he followed up to find the net with a shot that went in off the post.
McTiernan missed a great chance to increase the home side’s lead after 26 minutes, while moments later he shot straight at the goalkeeper when through on goal. After 32 minutes James Gallagher touched Colm Heffernan’s shot onto the crossbar as the home side dominated after taking the lead.
However a minute later, Harps were back on level terms when Chris Breen’s pacy run down the left wing created the opening for John O’Loughlin, who shot to the roof of the net from inside the penalty area.
The visitors then took the lead on 36 minutes when a foul on Breen by Jim Sheridan was punished by Shaun Holmes as his direct free kick went past the defensive wall and into the net.
Athlone grabbed an equalising score four minutes into the second half. Steven Gavin was fouled on the right edge of the penalty area and from the resulting free kick taken by Ryan Casey, Gavin headed the ball past goalkeeper Gallagher.
Seamus Brown and Declan Boyle had chances to restore the visitors lead as the half progressed but their chances of grabbing all three points faded when they were reduced to ten men with eight minutes left. Referee Padraig Sutton sent off Gordon Simms after he received a second yellow card for a foul on Paul McTiernan.
Athlone Town: O’Leary, Rossiter, Casey (Young 76), Frawley, Sheridan (Harty 43), Hope, Gavin, Byrne, Lavine (O’Dowd 72), McTiernan, Heffernan.
Finn Harps: Gallagher, Asokuh, Crossan (Roddy 83), Boyle, Simms, Shields, O’Loughlin, Holmes, Breen, Brown (Parkhouse 71), Brolly (Curran h/t).
Referee: P. Sutton
