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eircom National League First Division

Date	23/12/2001
Score (Blues First)	1 - 1
Venue	St. Mels Park, Athlone
Kick Off	2.00 PM
Attendance	120
Weather	Bright December afternoon
Referee	???
Goal Scorers	Hunt
Cards	Yellow: Frost, Hunt
Pitch	Good surface

An interesting week for all Blues supporters as rumours flew around the City before the two important away games in Athlone and Sligo. Firstly the job of filling the managers position in the club with everybody's name been mentioned at different street corners. Then the club announce the on loan signings of Richie Parsons from Bray and Noel Hunt (didn't I hear that name before), from Shamrock Rovers. All the first team players got new tracksuits and the under 21 team new waterproof tops. Two weeks ago we had no money, had to sell players and our management team resigned. They say a weeks a long time in football but this is an amazing turn around. But with two new strikers on the books who cares maybe we can finally push for that promotion spot. If we could manage four points out of the next two games it could be a very happy Christmas for the Blues.

The team was changed around by Rea and Scully in this important tie. Fennelly replaced Binder in the goal, Kevin O'Brien retained the right full spot and Noel hunt started up front beside the miss firing Wood. In the end it was a good result for the Blues and one in which we had to work very hard to get. We started off brightly and for the first 29 minutes Athlone never got a look in. Hunty and Woodie came close with headers that just went wide. Despite the excellent possession and passing football from the Blues we did not test the Athlone keeper enough. Then on 30 minutes disaster struck a swift counter attack from Athlone saw the ball being passed to the left wing. The Athlone winger send in a beautiful ball and Brian Morris Roe got his foot to the ball before any of the Blues defenders and the ball hit the back of the net. Totally against the run of play at not in the least deserved but that's football.

In the second half Athlone came more into the game and if it wasn't for the brilliance of Anthony Fennelly we would have been more then one down. It looked as if we would have to reply on a set piece for a goal, Gary Dempsey came close on a number of occasions from free kicks. We wasted a lot of chances from corners in the second half. Finally our breakthrough came in the 82nd minute when a cross from Joe Watson was met with the head of loan signing Noel Hunt and he put the ball into the back of the net. In the 90th minute it looked as if we had stolen all three points when a Gary Dempsey shot found it's way home only for the goal to be ruled offside. None the less a good workman like performance saw us take a point away from The Stadium of Tin and we can now look forward to next Saturday's trip to the Showgrounds to face Sligo.