19.45 15 Aug 2014 -
Referee:
League Preview: Athlone Town -v- Shamrock Rovers
- Macdara Ferris
- Fri, Aug 15 2014
ATHLONE TOWN
Keith Long’s men come into Friday’s game against Shamrock Rovers six points from safety as they sit bottom of the league. Long, who is suspended and will watch from the stand, will be looking to see his team pick up points against the Hoops so that they can close the gap on their nearest rivals in the table, Bray Wanderers and UCD.
Having lost 3-1 in Sligo last Saturday, Athlone are running out of games to secure their top flights status, with just ten matches remaining in the season. They have just one point from their last four league outings. Long handed out three debuts last week with Stephen Dunne, Kevin Knight (recently signed from Rovers’ B team) and goalscorer Sam O’Connor all making their first starts for Athlone in the league.
Sean Brennan is back in the Athlone squad following his return from recent suspension and experienced defender Aidan Collins is also available for selection.
When the sides last met in Athlone, it was the first game in the Premier Division at home for Athlone in 18 years. In what was the second game of this season, after floodlight issues, Rovers ran out 4-1 winners with Ciarán Kilduff scoring twice along with goals from Gary McCabe and Eamon Zayed. Alan Byrne got an injury time goal for the Midlanders that night. In Tallaght last May, Athlone went down 1-0.
SHAMROCK ROVERS
The Pat Fenlon Shamrock Rovers era began with a 2-0 home win last Friday night against Derry City and this week Fenlon’s charges travel to Athlone. Rovers laboured at times in the Derry game, particularly in the first half, but having had more time to work with the players this week, the new manager will be looking to continue Rovers’ excellent away form. The Hoops have the best away record of any team in the Premier Division. They have only lost once away from Tallaght in the last seven league games (and that was the 4-1 loss to Limerick that precipitated the departure of Trevor Croly from Rovers).
“After the win against Derry last week we're looking forward to this game and getting out and playing again,” said Fenlon. “We've had the week to prepare after a hectic few days last week.
"We know we will need to respect Athlone in order to get something from the game. I've seen them a few times and they are a good side. They have been involved in some tight games, either drawing or only losing by the odd goal, and so we need to be aware of that. We need to give them the same respect we gave Derry last week."
Rovers will travel without Ciarán Kilduff in the squad. He failed a late fitness test in the run up to last week’s game and his calf injury will keep him out again on Friday. The Hoops are hoping that the international clearance comes through for their new signing Patrick Cregg (see here). The 28-year-old has signed for Rovers for the remainder of the season. The central midfielder previously had spells with Arsenal, Falkirk, Hibernian and St Johnstone. He has played for Rovers previously in a friendly game in Tallaght against a Manchester United reserve side (that contained Gary Neville, Robbie Brady, Fabio and Tom Cleverly)
Referee: Padraigh Sutton.
MATCH STATS
Pat Fenlon’s managerial win percentage in the League of Ireland is 56% with Shelbourne, 36% at Derry (from just 11 league games) and 62% at Bohs. This compares very favourably with Premier Division win percentages from Rovers’ recent managers – Trevor Croly (46%), Stephen Kenny (42%), Michael O’Neill (58%) and Pat Scully (35%).
Philip Gorman is Athlone’s top goalscorer in the league this season with eight goals. Ronan Finn scored the opener for Rovers against Derry last week and, with six goals, is Rovers’ top league goalscorer.
Dean Kelly grabbed the Hoops’ second goal last Friday in that Derry game. That was his fifth goal in Rovers’ last nine games. During his last spell at Rovers in 2011, he scored five goals all season, getting a solitary goal in the league, FAI Cup, Setanta Cup, League Cup and Leinster Senior Cup. That was the highest number of competitions a Rovers player had scored in since Alan Campbell scored in six competitions in the 1983/84 season just prior to his move to Racing Santander.
BETTING
Athlone 6/1; Draw 3/1; Shamrock Rovers 4/9.
PREDICTION
2-0 away win.
Athlone Town
Injured: Graham Rusk, Sean Byrne.
Suspended: James O’Brien.
Shamrock Rovers
Injured: Ciarán Kilduff.
Suspended: None.
About Macdara Ferris
Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl …