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Dundalk extend unbeaten start to 13 games

Tuesday 29th May 2007, 1:01 am

Dundalk continued their excellent start to the season with ninth league win from thirteen on Monday night as they beat Athlone Town 2-0 in Athlone.

Phillip Hughes went top of the first division's top scorers list with the opening goal after only four minutes. Hughes nipped in to give Dundalk the perfect start from Shaun Williams' lay-off.

Both sides had chances to get on the scoresheet next. Eric Lavine hit the side netting after taking the ball round Chris Bennion while Paul Smyth failed with a couple of chances in good positions.

Paul McTiernan had a goal ruled out for the home side before Dundalk went 2-0 up on 36 minutes. Michael Harty was ruled to have handled in the area and on loan striker Williams joined Hughes at the top of the scorers chart as he slotted home the penalty.

At two goals down Athlone faded and Williams hammered a shot against the woodwork on the hour. Had McTiernan's effort eluded John Flanagan on the line a couple of minutes later, the finish to the game might have been much closer.

McTiernan broke through on the Dundalk goal only to be denied by a last ditch tackle from Thomas McGauley. At the other end Hughes saw his shot deflected wide from a good position as time ticked down.

Athlone Town : O'Leary, Harty (Carberry 49), Young, Frawley, Sheridan (McCarthy 71), Fortune, Gavin, Heffernan, Casey (Hardy 49), Lavine, McTiernan.
Dundalk : Bennion, Flanagan, McGauley, Lynch, R Dunne, Marney, O'Connor, Smyth (Perth 79), K Dunne (Doran 67), Williams, Hughes (Mulvenna 85).