Dundalk forced to settle for a draw away to Athlone

The nerves are beginning to fray in Dundalk FC’s promotion chase, after they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw away to bottom-placed Athlone Town in the SSE Airtricity League First Division.

On a night when second-placed Cobh Ramblers strengthened their challenge with a 3-1 home victory over Bray Wanderers, Dundalk appeared to be in control early on.

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Declan McDaid, once of Athlone, fired The Lilywhites ahead after just seven minutes, latching onto Eoin Kenny’s layoff and driving home from outside the box.

Yet Aaron Connolly’s thunderous second-half equaliser trimmed Dundalk’s cushion at the top to a precarious four points with only two games remaining.

Cobh’s early stumble had given Dundalk added impetus, and McDaid’s opener seemed to signal a dominant evening for the visitors.

Kenny almost doubled the advantage moments later, though his neat finish was chalked off for handball.

McDaid drew a comfortable save from Andrew Stuart-Trainor with a low strike, before Kenny again threatened, glancing Andy Paraschiv’s delivery onto the roof of the net.

By half-time, Cobh had surged ahead in their own fixture, while Dundalk continued to press without reward.

Kenny was once more denied by Stuart-Trainor after being played through by Paraschiv, as The Midlanders clung on.

Athlone began to stir after the break. Dylan Hand, a former Dundalk man, nodded wide from a free-kick, before substitute Jason Oyenuga forced the evergreen Peter Cherrie—at 42, Dundalk’s oldest ever League of Ireland player—into a sharp stop.

The veteran goalkeeper was soon twice called upon to deny Zach Lawless, first from a stinging volley and then from a close-range header.

Dundalk might have killed the contest when Aodh Dervin’s half-volley rattled the inside of the post, but instead they were punished.

On 71 minutes, Leonard’s foul on Derinsola Adewale handed Athlone a free-kick, and Connolly unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner to level matters.

From there, Dundalk never truly looked like restoring their lead.

Norman Garbett and Kenny both saw late headers drift off target, leaving Ciaran Kilduff’s men to rue a costly slip.

Promotion remains within their grasp—a home win over Finn Harps next week would seal it—but this latest stumble has invited fresh anxiety into their campaign.

What once looked a straightforward march back to the Premier Division now carries an edge of tension that Dundalk could well have done without.

Athlone Town: Andrew Stuart-Trainor; Reece Webb, Conor Quinn, Cole Omorehiomwan, Dylan Hand, Derinsola Adewale (Oisin Duffy 87); Junior Thiam (Jason Oyenuga HT), Daniel McKenna (Aaron Connolly HT), Zach Lawless; Ben Feeney (Colm Doyle 78), Gideon Tetteh (Adam Lennon 78)

Subs not used: Andrew Deevy (gk), Noe Baba, Will Smith, Alex Sheerin

Dundalk FC: Peter Cherrie; Conor O’Keeffe, Mayowa Animasahun, Vinnie Leonard, JR Wilson; Aodh Dervin, Shane Tracey (Harry Groome 68); Eoin Kenny, Andy Paraschiv (Norman Garbett 68), Declan McDaid (Daryl Horgan 75); Gbemi Arubi (Dean Ebbe 84)

Subs not used: Enda Minogue (gk), Luke Mulligan, Keith Ward, Ethen Vaughan, Rohan Vaughan

Referee: Ryan Maher (Offaly)