League Preview: Cabinteely -v- Athlone Town

CABINTEELY

Cabinteely will hope to kick off their second season as a League Of Ireland side with a home win, just as they did in 2015 when they beat Wexford Youths 1-0.

Eddie Gormley’s young side have had a good pre season. They tested themselves well against four SSE Airtricity Premier Division teams, which included a 3-3 draw with Bohemians in a game where they were leading 3-0. Gormley will be hoping he can improve on last year's bottom place finish and keep progressing the club in the right direction.

Cabinteely’s major problem going into the opening fixture is that they will be without club captain Victor Ekanem. The centre-back picked up an achilles injury in pre-season and has had to undergo surgery so will be out for the next couple of months.

ATHLONE TOWN

Alan Matthews brings Athlone into this opening fixture with a massive turnaround of players going through the club. One player in particular coming into the club is the very experienced David Cassidy, who Matthews will be hoping can pull the strings in the midfield this season after he stepped down a division from Bray Wanderers.

The away side will come into this game hoping the can pick up where they left off last season, beating Cabinteely on the final day 3-1. Athlone Town’s top scorer last season Daniel Purdy scored twice on that day and Athlone will be hoping he will be firing again in Stradbrook.

Athlone’s only worry for the game is that they are without Conor Barry who picked up a hamstring injury in pre season.

Referee: Michael O’Connor

MATCH STATS

The two sides met four times in total last season with Cabinteely coming out the better in those games. The first ever meeting between the sides finished 2-2 in Stradbrook before Cabinteely won the next two fixtures (2-0, 1-0). Athlone took all three points in both sides final fixture of last season, running out 3-1 winners

Robert Maloney was Cabinteely’s captain at the start of last season and will be returning to Stradbrook for the first time since leaving in the summer.

BETTING

Cabinteely 9/5; Draw 9/4; Athlone Town 13/10.

PREDICTION

Cabinteely 2-1 Athlone Town

Cabinteely

Injured: Victor Ekanem

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Athlone Town

Injured: Conor Barry

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None