Ray Scott reports from Lisseywollen
Danny Searle made three changes to the side that lost to Galway last week and they started very positively with the home keeper Enda Minogue denying Giles Philips after three minutes when he got a touch on a Barry Baggley corner.
However, Phillips was fouled by Haji Adabakir on the quarter hour and Shane Griffin stepped up to fire a stunning free kick to the top corner for a deserved lead for the visitors.
Just three minutes later, Paul Martin produced a top class save to spare Waterford blushes as he turned away a Patrick Hickey header. Some great interplay from Ronan Coughlan and Griffin produced a fine opportunity to double the lead but Minogue smothered Coughlan’s shot.
Athlone continued to press forward looking for an equaliser and it was Martin who again produced a top drawer save as Donal Curtin got on the end of a Connolly free kick and despite their best efforts they could not find a way through a resolute Waterford defence.
Athlone Town: Enda Minogue, Charles Mutawe, German Fuentes Rodriguez, Patrick Hickey, Jack Kavanagh(Donal Curtain’66), Noah Van Geenen, Haji Abdikadir, Jamar Campion-Hinds, Aaron Connolly, Frantz Pierrot (Valerli Dolia ’82), Isaie Louis.
Waterford FC: Paul Martin, Darragh Power, Giles Phillips, Eddie Nolan, Ryan Burke, Niall O’Keeffe, Barry Baggley, Shane Griffin (Dean Larkin ’86), Ronan Coughlan (Chris Conn-Clarke ;’69), Wassim Aouachria (Charles Ondo ’86), Thomas Oluwa (Connor Parsons ’82).
Referee: David Dunne (Dublin).
