Athlone Town and Waterford will go into Saturday's promotion play-off, semi-final second leg at the RSC on level terms after the teams played out an absorbing score draw at Lissywollen.
Both camps will feel they produced a performance deserving of more, but both sides found the net just once in this first leg tie with both goals arriving in the second half.
The league's leading scorer Ronan Coughlan had Waterford in the lead early in the second half. But a Frantz Pierrot strike on 78 minutes ensured the home side will go into Saturday afternoon's return meeting with something with behind them.
On a poor run of form coming into this game, Athlone had been beaten four times in their final five league games, shipping a hefty 14 goals in the process. But despite also carrying the underdogs tag into this one, it was the hosts who created the better of the chances in the opening half.
Waterford's Conor Parsons caused trouble all night down his left side and fired an early shot at Town goalkeeper Enda Minogue. While the country's top marksman Coughlan, with an incredible 32 goals this season, had two opportunities early on. The first a cheeky chio from long-range after sloppy play in the Athlone midfield. While the ex-St Pat's striker arrived to the back post a little too late to be able to turn Parson's corner beyond Minogue.
The hosts are looking to end a run of nine years without Premier Division football and had the half's best chance on eleven minutes.
Athlone's top scorer Pierrot was under pressure from a trailing Waterford defender but probably should have scored when, five yards from goal, he headed Valerii Dolia's cross into the ground and over Sam Sargeant's crossbar.
The Munster sides have had the better of the meetings between the two sides this season, with two wins over the Midlanders in 2023 already. But again they were fortunate to remain level when winger Jamar Campion-Hinds, who was forced off through injury shortly after, found a way inside before shaving the post with a well-struck effort from just insde the area.
Certain to attract interest from Premier Division clubs and those farther afield, Pierrot was again involved just short of the half hour. The Haitian attacker approaching the Waterford goal from the angle, but his effort lacked any composure as he faiiled to make the most of the space offered to him at Sargeant's far side.
The evasive Parsons fizzed the ball across Mingoue's goal before Sargeant held on to Pierrot's drive just shy the break, this time from outside the box.
Keith Long's charges are looking to end their two year residency in the league's second tier and took charge of this first-leg tie seven minutes into the second period. Coughlan's smart turn having controlled the ball from a throw-in saw him twist past an Athlone defender. The Limerick native lashing the ball into the roof of the net from close range for goal number 33 of the season.
A stunned Town were just inches away from conceding again three minutes later but Coughlan's placed shoh from the left came back off the bottom of Minogue's post after the striker was teed up by Romeo Akachuckwu on the Blues' next attack.
Dario Castelo's side did gradually setlled back into this one and threatened in quick succesion. Dolia fired over on the hour, four minutes before Aaron Connolly pulled a wonderful two handed save out of Sargeant as Connolly sought out the bottom corner from range.
The lively Dolia strolled past three defenders at the edge of the 'D' on 71 minutes as Waterford were forced to sit in for a period. But the Ukranian was let down by his own follow up as he made a mess of his resutling limp shot from 19 yards out.
The Westmeath outfit were then duly rewarded for their endeavour twelve minutes from time. Taking a forward pass from team-mate Connolly, Pierrot held off his defender before turning to face goal and slotting past Sargeant for his 21st goal of the term.
A frustrated Waterford had half a shout for a penalty turned down on 83 when Oisin Duffy collided with Parsons inside the Athlone area. Referee Oisin Moran took his time in deciding Duffy's shove on Parsons was within the rules.
There was one last chance to tip the scales in the favour of the visitors in the fourth minute of added time, but substitute Dean McMenemy was foiled by a brave stop from Minogue who made himself as big as possible to deny the incoming attacker.
The second leg takes place at the RSC this weekend with the winners facing either Wexford or Cobh in the promotion decider. While the winner of that tie will take on either Cork City or Sligo Rovers in the relegation/promotion final, depending on who finishes ninth in the Premier Division.
Athlone Town: Minogue, Fuentes, Van Geenan, McKenna (Leal 88), Hickey, Connolly, Pierrot, Dolvia (Gavin 81), Duffy, Campion-Hinds (Orrego 33) (Forbes 88), Baker (Kavanagh 87).
Waterford: Sargeant, Power, Burke, Perry, McDonald (O'Keefe 85), Crowe-Baggley, Parsons, Coughlan, Idowu, Phillips, Akachuckwu (McMenamy 92).
Referee: Oliver Moran.
Attendance: 1,597
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