Athlone Town rose off the bottom of the FAI eircom League First Division table when they grabbed their first goals of the season to shock Monaghan United 2-1 at Kingspan Century Park.
Colin Jinks and captain Ian Rossiter found the target for a Town
transformed after a poor first half display.
Monaghan goalkeeper Brendan Kennedy was only exerted once in the first 45 minutes, forced into a diving save at the feet of Robbie Hamm in the 25th minute.
But a subdued United themselves offered little threat in front of goal.
Their only notable first half chance came when Eoin Lanigan struck a purposeful volley first-time from Darren Meenan’s cross but Ciaran Kelly got down to save comfortably.
Athlone went ahead three minutes after the interval.
United’s defence failed to deal with Hamm’s cross from the right wing and Jinks was able to force the ball home from close range.
Town’s lead was shortlived. A sweeping Monaghan move ended with Eoin Lanigan firing a deft low cross towards the near post in the 52nd minute and Darren Meenan arriving to flick the equaliser home.
Eric Lavine signalled Athlone’s attacking intent when he rattled the Monaghan bar shortly after.
Town’s adventurous play was rewarded in the 74th minute when a cross from the left wing by Jinks dropped into the path of Rossiter who hit a beautiful volley into the roof of the net.
Monaghan never recovered from that, and Jason McCartney might have made
the Athlone victory margin more handsome had he not blazed his shot over the crossbar in the 84th minute with Kennedy in the United goal stranded and the net at his mercy.
Monaghan United: Kennedy; Whelan, Gartland, Malone, Mooney; Byrne (Collins 81), Tierney, Maher; Hand (Sheppard 70), Meenan, Lanigan.
Athlone Town: Kelly; Keady, Hope (Scullion 59), Sheridan, Reilly; Hamm, Jinks, Rossiter, McCartney (Hayes 90); Moran, Lavine (McGee 73).
Referee: P Caschera (Dublin)
