Late Allen point puts Athlone through and knocks Tang out

Athlone 1-10 Tang 1-10

Athlone are through to this year’s Westmeath SFC quarter-finals after recovering from a poor first half to clinch a draw against Tang in sun-drenched TEG Cusack Park last Saturday evening.

Eoin Jordan’s charges had their fair share of missed opportunities and probably should have won this comfortably, but ultimately a share of the spoils was enough to see them into the knockouts and consign Tang to section ‘B’ for 2025, along with Caulry.

Tang were by far the better team in the first half, and led by four at the interval (1-8 to 1-4) after a spectacular goal from Shane Hanley gave them the edge. However, the maroons’ discipline let them down on occasion, and they lost key forward Adam Neary for ten minutes after a 24th-minute black card offence.

Though Neary rejoined the fray four minutes into the second half, Tang looked disjointed after the restart and only scored once from play in that period. Conor Marlow looked to have won it for them with 58 minutes gone but Shane Allen popped up with two late scores to earn an often profligate Athlone a decisive point.

John Rock opened the scoring for Tang, who led 0-4 to 0-1 by the quarter-hour mark, with three points from Neary (two from play) drowning out a free from Athlone’s Cillian Lynn. Neary did well to score his first after five minutes despite losing his footing, before kicking a superb free from a tight angle on the terrace side. He followed this up with a terrific point off his left.

Athlone looked out of ideas at this stage but were thrown a lifeline on 16 minutes when a point attempt from Shane Allen fell just short. Tang goalkeeper Owen Coughlan, perhaps with the sun his eyes, fumbled the falling ball into the net, and Athlone were level.

Seconds after the goal, early signs of Tang’s struggle with discipline were evident when Martin Rock was booked for an off-the-ball strike. But Tang made it count where it mattered on the scoreboard with Aidan Burke, Neary (a free) and Richard Laffan finding their range before Athlone could reply with a free from Lynn.

Then, Tang suffered a massive blow when Neary was sin-binned after picking up a black card for a reckless dive tackle on Ray Connellan. While this brought Athlone into the game more, Tang responded well and finished the half in strong fashion. Stephen O’Connor pointed for the Shannonsiders after a neat move involving Eamon Martin and Lynn, but Shane Hanley cancelled this out with a fine score after being teed up by John Rock.

Connellan then shot wide, and when Tang countered, they moved the ball at pace down the right flank before Jason Coughlan played a precise long ball into Hanley. Soloing towards goal, Hanley rattled the net with a magnificent right-footed shot, and Tang led by five.

A decent point from Athlone's Eamon Martin cut the deficit to four, but it was their opponents who were the happier side at half time.

Shortly after the restart, Athlone won a mark and after Tang protested, it was moved forward for a free and O’Connor obliged. Neary had by now returned to action for Tang but they struggled to make inroads, and a free from their no. 10 after 42 minutes was all they could muster for a long stretch. Athlone were also guilty of a few misses but as the half went on, they looked more likely to fashion a win.

Ray Connellan, now operating at full forward, reduced Tang’s lead to two (1-9 to 1-7) on 47 minutes, moments after Tang goalkeeper Owen Coughlan was lucky to escape without a card after flooring a goalbound Michael Byrne.

Lynn had a sniff at goal on 50 minutes but moments later, Connellan had a chance to find the net after Shane Allen squared to him. Coughlan was equal to the shot, and when the ball came back out, O’Connor shot over.

Athlone continued their hunt for a second goal, and an intervention from Tang’s Conall McKiernan stopped a likely one on 53 minutes. Four minutes later, the Shannonsiders got a deserved equaliser when Allen finished off a solo run with a fine point.

Out of nowhere, Tang found their range from open play for the first time in over half an hour thanks to the left peg of Conor Marlow, and this left them nicely poised. Allen proved the hero of the hour for the Shannonsiders, getting them back on level terms with a great score after a tidy move that split the Tang defence.

Ill-discipline came back to haunt Tang, and with stoppage time approaching, they were lucky not to lose Adam Neary to a red card after he collided with Athlone’s James Finlass. Indeed, deep into added time, Athlone had a shout for a free to potentially win the game when John Rock hauled down Shane Allen with a high tackle. Controversially, referee Barry Nea kept his cards pocketed.

At the other end, Tang sought redemption late on, and a terrific block from Athlone sub Ryan O’Connor led to a sideline ball for Neary. However, the town team dealt with the danger, holding on manfully for the draw and securing their path to the quarter-finals.

Man of the match: Shane Allen (Athlone). His goal may have had more than a touch of good fortune about it, but the centre forward’s overall play and two late scores were crucial in booking Athlone’s quarter-final spot.

Score of the match: Although it didn’t get Tang over the line in the end, Shane Hanley’s 29th-minute goal was something to behold.

Scorers - Athlone: S Allen 1-2, S O’Connor (1f) C Lynn (3f) 0-3 each, E Martin and R Connellan 0-1 each. Tang: A Neary 0-5 (3f), S Hanley 1-1, J Rock, A Burke, R Laffan and C Marlow 0-1 each.

Athlone: Darren Costello; Stephen Flaherty, Paddy Ryan, James Finlass; Michael Byrne, Eamon Martin, Kieran Colclough; Shane Reid, Ray Connellan; Diarmuid Martin, Shane Allen, Stephen O’Connor; Cillian Lynn, Daniel Reid, Conor Rushe. Subs: John Stapleton for Ryan (h-t), Benny Martin for Rushe (40), Mark Egan for Reid (43), Ryan O’Connor for Flaherty (59).

Tang: Owen Coughlan; Conall McKiernan, Kieran Duncan, Eoghan Bannon; Jason Coughlan, Ronan Hanley, Richard Laffan; Ciaran Clear, Conor Marlow; Adam Neary, Shane Hanley, Aidan Burke; Martin Rock, John Tumelty, John Rock. Subs: Tommy Lennon for M Rock (40), Shane Keenan for Burke (45).

Referee: Barry Nea (Killucan).