ACFL Division 1

Athlone 1-14 Garrycastle 0-13

Our senior men took a big step towards retaining their Division 1 status for another year when they defeated neighbours Garrycastle in their penultimate league game, played in front of a good crowd in Páirc Chiaráin on Tuesday night last.

Athlone got off to a good start when Jack Quinn fisted over to finish a flowing move in the opening minute, but the visitors soon settled and took the lead through points from a lineball and a 20 metre free.  A John Connellan free brought Athlone level, but Garrycastle regained the lead with two quick points.  The home team then enjoyed their best spell of the first half and fine points from Paul Bannon, Ryan Gaffey and John Connellan had them back in front.  Garrycastle then dominated the final 10 minutes of the half and four consecutive points gave them a lead of three as the game entered first half injury time, although Athlone had the final say with a John Connellan free after a short Garrycastle kickout had been turned over.

The hosts began the second half as they had the first, when Darren Magee pointed from long range in the first minute, but Garrycastle kept daylight between the sides with a point from play. Paul Bannon reduced the gap to the minimum with another excellent score, but again the visitors responded almost immediately to restore their two-point advantage.  Undaunted, Athlone came back again and a John Connellan point was followed by the game's key moment, when the home team were awarded a penalty after the Garrycastle keeper was adjudged to have stopped a Jack Quinn effort with an illegal footblock.  Connellan confidently dispatched the spotkick to put Athlone two points up.  Garrycastle did bring themselves back level with another brace of points, but the home side were now playing with a greater level of intensity and took control around the middle of the park in the final quarter.  Connellan put them back in front from a free, and this was followed by a close-range Jordan Marshment effort, before another Connellan free put a goal between the sides.  A superb John Egan point, struck from out near the sideline after a powerful run put Athlone four points up, but they were then dealt a blow when Jordan Marshment received a second yellow card after a small melee to leave Athlone with only 14 men for the final five minutes.  Some superb disciplined defending prevented the Garrycastle attack from getting the goal they needed, although they did add another point from a well-struck '45, and John Connellan got the insurance score in injury time with a brilliant point from the right wing to seal a deserved four-point win.

Athlone's final league game will be at home to Tyrrellspass and they will be hoping to follow up this win with another good performance to ensure top division football next year and to take some momentum into the championship, which begins next month.

Athlone:  Conor Devaney, James Finlass, Noel Mulligan, Fergal Murray, Jordan Marshment (0-1), Stephen Ward, Shane Allen, Alan Gaughan , Darren Magee (0-1), Kieran Colclough, Jack Quinn (0-1), Ryan Gaffey (0-1), John Egan (0-1), Paul Bannon (0-2), John Connellan (1-7)  Subs Used:  Andy Lynam, Danny Lynam, Diarmuid Martin, Richie Greene.

JFC Group 3

Athlone 2-14 Garrycastle 3-11

Injury points from Ryan Gaffey and Jack Quinn salvaged a draw for Athlone in their opening Junior Football Championship Group 3 game against Garrycastle in Garrycastle on Saturday evening.  This was the third draw between these great local rivals in the JFC group stage in the last four seasons, and even though there was some confusion over the actual score, a draw was a fair result.

Athlone started brightly and led by 0-3 to 0-1 after 10 minutes through two Richie Greene points and a Kieran Colclough free.  The home side then found their feet and three straight points gave them the lead for the first time.  Another Colclough free brought Athlone level, but Garrycastle then struck the game's opening goal.  The sides then exchanged points, Athlone's score coming from Richie Greene, before Jack Quinn availed of a defensive mix-up to find the net and bring his side level.  The visitors' joy was short-lived, however, as the home side responded by adding their second goal almost immediately, and another Garrycastle point put more daylight between the sides as half-time approached.  A Benny Martin point on the struck of half-time brought the first half scoring to a close, but there was some confusion during the half-time break as the referee scored the game 2-6 to 1-7 in Garrycastle's favour, while most observers had the score at 2-6 to 1-6.

Two early second half points stretched the hosts' advantage and Athlone looked to be serious trouble, but Kieran Colclough settled their nerves with a pointed free, before Jack Quinn availed of another defensive slip-up to bring Athlone level with his second goal.  Substitute Tom Egan then gave Athlone the lead with an excellent point, but the home side levelled things up almost immediately and then regained the lead midway through the half.  Momentum then swung back towards Athlone and a Kieran Colclough free, followed by points from Jack Quinn and Benny Martin, with a powerful effort that could easily have been a goal, gave them a two-point lead with five minutes remaining.  Just as it looked like Athlone were on the verge of a valuable win, some poor defending let the home side regain their lead with their third goal and they followed this up with a point after turning over the kick out.  Athlone now faced a two-point deficit as the game entered stoppage time, but they refused to throw in the towel and Ryan Gaffey reduced the gap to the minimum with an excellent score.  Jack Quinn then made a superb catch from the subsequent kick out to launch one final Athlone attack, and after a patient passing move led to the opportunity, the same player slotted a brilliant point from distance to bring the sides level again.  This was the final act of an exciting game and it meant the sides finished level on a scoreline of Athlone 2-14 Garrycastle 3-11.

Athlone:  Conor Devaney, Danny Lynam, James Finlass, Eoin Fahey, Andy Lynam, Shane Allen, Eoin Jordan, Diarmuid Martin, Darren Magee, Ryan Gaffey (0-1), Kieran Colclough (0-4), Jack Quinn (2-2), Sean Dowd, Benny Martin (0-3), Richie Greene (0-3) Subs Used:  Tom Egan (0-1), Matthew Darling, Dylan Lynch, Joe Fallon, Emmet Collins, David Fagan.

Ballinasloe U12 Tournament

Athlone 2-9 Ballinasloe 3-3

Our U12 team hosted Ballinasloe in our first game of the U12 Ballinasloe invitational tournament on Wednesday last under terrible weather conditions. With a gale force blowing both sides found it difficult to adapt to the conditions and scoring was low with the half-time score at Athlone 0-6 Ballinasloe 2-1. Early in the second half the lads found themselves 6 points in arrears but two goals in quick succession brought them back into the game. Kicking a further three points in the last 10 minutes Athlone gained the lead and never looked back, defending superbly to preserve their lead in the dying minutes. This was a fantastic win under the elements with all players digging deep to produce a great winning performance leaving the final score Athlone 2-9 Ballinasloe 3-3.  Next up for the lads are the County U12 finals in Cusack Park, Mullingar on Wednesday evening at 8pm, where Athlone Blues will play Milltownpass. & Athlone Whites  will play Tyrrellspass.

Athlone:  Evan McMickan, Ruairi O'Duibhir, Kyle Greene, Adam Casey, Darragh Lough, Brian Gill, Lorcan McCormack, Luke Nicholson, Shane Wheatley, Tiernan Mitchell, Cian Dolan, Ben Murray, Cillian Geary, Brandon Varszegi.

U14 Boys

Thanks to everybody who supported the bag pack in aid of our U14 Boys trip to the national Féile na nÓg finals that was held in Supervalu, Ballymahon Road on Saturday.  Thanks to all the parents who volunteered to collect and to the management and staff of Supervalu for their help in organising the bag pack.  The next game for the lads is in the Radisson Blu U14 League/Championship against Coralstown-Kinnegad on Thursday, June 21st in Kinnegad, throw-in at 7.00pm.

Lotto

The numbers drawn in last week's Athlone GAA Lotto were 11, 13, 26 and 29.  There were no jackpot winners.  Match 3 winners were Joe Finlass c/o Joe Finlass and Mary Moore c/o Mags Daly.  This week's jackpot is €5,700.  Play online athttp://athlone.gaa.ie/club-location/club-lotto

Vote of Sympathy

The Fox family, Cornamaddy

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