Cork City suffered their third home loss of the season after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Athlone Town.
Athlone scored the only goal of the game after 19 minutes, Austin Skelly finding the net with an overhead kick. City now lie 6th in the table, two points behind third placed Monaghan United.
The opening 15 minutes was more or less eventless, with neither goalkeeper having to make a save. City’s best chance perhaps fell to Uros Hojan, the Slovenian was in prime position to play Graham Cummins in on goal but he shot himself but it went well wide of the post.
Skelly’s vital goal arrived shortly after, with the away side going to defensive mode as soon as they found the net.
Cork City pressed for an equaliser for the remainder of the half, Stephen Mulcahy coming close with a header.Tommy Dunne introduced Paul Deasy early in the game as he replaced Dave Warren before the break. Davin O’Neill forced an excellent save from Bennion just before half time as Athlone held onto their one goal lead.
Cummins was again a threat from the air, and did well to get on the end of Ian Turner’s cross from the right but it went just wide of the post. The pressure bagint o mount on Athlone, as the Leesiders continued to launch ball after ball into the danger area. Greg O’Halloran’s header was straight at Bennion, while O’Neill blazed over from a good position.
Cummins forced another brilliant save from Bennion after taking down a long ball just inside the box, but he saw his effort parried away for a corner.
O’Halloran was next to pepper Bennion’s goal, and the latter saved again, denying Greg a 25-yard equaliser. That was to be the last piece of real goalmouth action, as the away side held out for all three points.
Cork City
Starting Line-Up: McNulty; Turner, Rogers, Mulcahy, Hojan; O’Neill, O’Halloran, Cillian Lordan, Duggan, Warren; Cummins.
Substitutes: Deasy for Warren (36mins), G.Morrissey for O’Halloran (78mins), Forde for Turner (78mins),. Subs not used: Devine, Heffernan.
Athlone Town
Starting Line-Up: Bennion, Nolan, O’Shea, Caffrey, Hope, McCarthy, O’Hanlon, Place, Watson, Skelly, O’Connell.
Substitutes: Dolan Skelly (73mins), Relihan for Watson (88mins). Subs not used: Broughall, Scullion, Schlingermann.
Referee: S.Templeman.
Attendance: 1,351.
FORAS Man of the Match (in association with CorkTrophyCentre.com): Stephen Mulcahy.
