Cork City 0
Athlone Town 0
Stephen Barry reports from Turner’s Cross
A HEROES’ HOMECOMING greeted Ruairí Keating and Seani Maguire but Cork City couldn’t cap the occasion with a victory against a resolute Athlone Town side.
This double transfer coup swelled the Turner’s Cross crowd to 3,537; the best turnout since the Cork derby at the start of April and the third-highest of the season. The extra 1,200 fans through the turnstiles demonstrated the Keating-Maguire bounce in full effect.
The stalemate means the Rebel Army’s lead at the top of the First Division table remains at a safe 15 points; effectively five wins away from clinching the title and promotion given their far superior goal difference over the Town.
Keating continued up front from the 1-1 draw away to Treaty United while 11-time Ireland international Maguire, who arrived late this week, was named on the bench.
After their warm-up, they received a rapturous welcome when introduced to the crowd. Keating returned from the tunnel for kick-off proudly accompanied by his daughter, decked out in a blue and pink City away jersey with ‘DADDY 9’ printed on the back.
Tim Clancy’s two changes saw Barry Coffey drafted in for the suspended Greg Bolger and Josh Fitzpatrick replace top scorer Jack Doherty.
All eyes were on Keating but he didn’t receive much early supply in an even but uneventful opening half.
Malik Dijksteel and Seán Murray had the first shots in anger after 20 minutes but were blocked by the effective centre-half pairing of German Fuentes Rodriguez and Dylan Hand.
The visitors’ central diamond kept City under pressure through the middle and they weren’t able to fully exploit the pockets left out wide.
Equally, the Athlone attack couldn’t break down a defence chasing their 18th clean sheet in 28 games this season between League and Cup.
Those blocked shots were the only attempts of the half until a minute before the break.
It was City’s third piece of transfer business, the permanent signing of man-of-the-match Seán Murray, who started the move with a full-blooded sliding tackle.
Keating clipped a clever cross into the path of Dijksteel but the winger’s attempt to control with his chest ran away from him, although Lee Axworthy over-egged the diving save.
At the other end, Dijksteel’s miskick from a defensive throw-in allowed Dean Ebbe a sight of goal but the striker hacked over the bar.
The Dutchman didn’t return for the second half as Clancy introduced Doherty and switched Cathal O’Sullivan wide.
Still, Athlone had the better chances after the resumption. Cian Coleman came up with a brilliant sliding block to deny Ebbe at the near post after pacy winger Jamar Campion-Hinds looked like he’d assisted a goal with his first touch.
They came closer again in the 63rd minute. After Coffey was the fourth City player booked, Aaron Connolly swerved a dipping free-kick onto the crossbar with Brad Wade rooted to the spot. Tetteh won the rebound but diverted it over.
In the 74th minute, a rare corner almost provided the opener. Murray’s cross was met by the head of Charlie Lyons but the centre-back was denied his third goal in three games by a flying Axworthy save.
Clancy then decided to introduce Maguire for his first competitive game since last playing for Carlisle United four months ago. His introduction was greeted as if City had scored a goal as he slotted in behind fellow substitute Cian Murphy, with Keating and Fitzpatrick called ashore.
Maguire showed plenty of intent to get right into the action but City were largely restricted to long-range efforts from Doherty (straight at Axworthy), Evan McLaughlin (wide), and Lyons (deflected away for a corner).
Coleman headed over Doherty’s corner-kick and that was as close as City would come to a late winner.
The game ended with a stoppage-time red card for a member of the Athlone subs’ bench.
Elsewhere in the First Division, UCD capitalised on Athlone’s dropped points to move one behind in third place after Michael Raggett’s 36th-minute goal was enough for a 1-0 win away to Bray Wanderers.
Cobh Ramblers secured a 2-0 win away to Kerry FC – Jack Larkin and Breandán Frahill with the goals either side of half time – while Wexford went above Finn Harps into sixth with a victory by the same score line after Thomas Oluwa and Darragh Levingston found the net.
Cork City: B Wade; D Crowley, C Coleman, C Lyons, E McLaughlin; S Murray, B Coffey; J Fitzpatrick (C Murphy 75), C O’Sullivan, M Dijksteel (J Doherty h-t); R Keating (S Maguire 75).
Athlone Town: L Axworthy; O Duffy, G Fuentes Rodriguez, D Hand, B Torre; D McKenna (N van Geenen 74); A Byrne (J Campion-Hinds 60), A Connolly; L Gaxha; D Ebbe (K Robinson 83), G Tetteh.
Referee: A Patchell.