Cork City thrash Athlone to extend lead at the top of the First Division

Cork City manager Colin Healy.

Athlone Town 1

Dylan O’Connell reports from Turner’s Cross

CORK CITY MAINTAINED their grip at the top of the First Division table by beating Athlone Town 6-1 at Turner’s Cross on Friday evening.

Colin Healy’s side made easy work of the visitors and they are now three points clear after Galway United’s 2-2 draw with Wexford FC at Eamonn Deacy Park.

The Rebel Army established themselves as the dominant team in the second minute when Cian Murphy pulled clear of the Athlone Town defence and he had a shot saved by Vladislav Velikin.

The visitors tried to respond through Adam Lennon but as he went to take a touch inside

the City half, Kevin O’Connor sprinted in and put the ball out of play.

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With 13 minutes gone, Dylan McGlade released Barry Coffey just outside the area and the

midfield ran into space before finishing with the inside of his right boot.

That was his seventh goal of the season and Coffey got another when McGlade danced into space inside the box and squared to the midfielder. He tapped the ball in from close range and in the space of two minutes, City were comfortably two goals in front.

The enthusiasm from the home side did not fade as the first half wore on. City were all

over Athlone and they should have got a third on the half hour mark but Aaron Bolger fired over. A loose pass from Cian Coleman was picked off by Adam Lennon late in the 44 th minute and this allowed the visitors to get forward in numbers. After Josh Honohan tackled Lennon and put the ball out of play, Athlone won it back and played it to Shane Barnes, who fired into the Shed End.

Then a corner from Matt Healy found Cian Coleman and City closed out the first half by

going 3-0 up. The midfielder put in another corner just after the break and this one was knocked in by Honohan.

A collision between Murphy and Velikin led to referee Declan Toland giving City a penalty and Ruairi Keating put this into the bottom right corner of the goal. Coffey drove the ball in on the hour mark and the Athlone goalkeeper fumbled, forcing the ball over the line and the midfielder got his hat-trick.

Colin Healy made a number of chances following this with Louis Britton, Uniss Kargbo, and James Doona all coming on for the Rebel Army.

There were two minutes added time and the final kick of the match saw Valeri Dolia guide the ball in for late consolation goal for Athlone.

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Cork City: David Harrington; Cian Coleman, Dylan McGlade, Aaron Bolger (Matt Srbely 55), Ruairi Keating (Louis Britton 63), Barry Coffey, Kevin O’Connor (Uniss Kargbo 67), Matt Healy, Darragh Crowley (Gordon Walker 55), Josh Honohan, Cian Murphy (James Doona 63).

Athlone Town: Vladislav Velikin; Jarlath Jones, Noah van Geenen (Valeri Dolia 45), Adam Lennon, Shane Barnes, Thomas Oluwa (Jack Kavanagh 82), Oisin Duffy (Matthew Leal 82), Aaron McBride (Andy Spain 65), Gary Armstrong (Daniel Dobbin 65), Patrick Hickey, Cian Kelly.

Referee: Declan Toland

First Division Results

Cork City 6-1 Athlone Town

Galway United 2-2 Wexford

Treaty United 1-2 Waterford