Saturday 28th April 2007, 10:52 pm
28th April 2007
Athlone Town 2
Paul McTiernan 16
Stevie Gavin 49
Finn Harps 2
John O'Loughlin 33
Shaun Holmes 36
Lissywoollen
Athlone Town and Finn Harps drew 2-2 in the First Division of the eircom League tonight at Athlone Town's stadium. Harps remain second from bottom in the division with Athlone still fourth.
Paul McTiernan put Athlone in front after 16 minutes but having survived a number of scares, Harps drew level through John O'Loughlin 33 minutes.
McTiernan kept his head in a goal-mouth scramble to flick the ball past Harps keeper James Gallagher. McTiernan could have claimed a hat-trick before Harps levelled after having two efforts cleared off the line. Eric Lavine also saw a chance charged down. Colm Heffernan then saw a shot pushed up onto the crossbar by Gallagher as the home side were again denied.
O'Loughlin stole in after the half hour to turn the ball home from Chris Breen's low cross into the area.
Shaun Holmes put Harps in front only a couple of minutes later as Athlone were punished for not taking their chances. Holmes' 36th minute free kick crashed off the crossbar and into the Athlone net.
Stevie Gavin levelled matters up shortly after half-time. The Mayo man glanced home a header from Ryan Casey's 49th minute free kick into the box.
Once both sides were level the game faded and Harps had to hang on a little after Gordon Simms' sending off in the closing ten minutes.
Athlone Town : O'Leary, Rossiter, Casey (Young 76), Frawley, Sheridan (Harty 42), Hope, Gavin, Byrne, Lavine (O'Dowd 71), McTiernan, Heffernan.
Finn Harps : Gallagher, Asokuh, Crossan (Roddy 83), Boyle, Simms, Shields, O'Loughlin, Holmes, Breen, Brown (Parkhouse 71), Brolly.