Season Preview 2017 - Athlone Town

Manager: Colin Fortune

 

Stadium: Athlone Town Stadium

 

Players in: Conor Gleeson (Galway United), Val Feeney (Limerick), Jason Molloy (Unattached), Igor Labuts (?), Kirils Grigorovs (?), Aaron Brilly (Cabinteely), Jose Viegas (?), Frederico Hernandez (?), Dragog Sfrijan (?), Ethan Keogh (Moore Utd), Andy Nevin (Moore Utd), Peter Walsh (Galway Utd U19).

 

Players out: James Quinn (Shelbourne).

 

Extratime.ie Key Man: Conor Barry

 



After leaving Galway United at the end of the 2015 season, Barry signed for The Midlanders in February 2016, making his debut against Drogheda United in March. The Galway man scored six goals in 22 appearances for Athlone Town and the former Salthill Devon player’s first goal for the club came in a 3-3 draw with Waterford in April. The young midfielder was the top scorer for Athlone Town last season and with such a youthful squad on his hands, manager, Colin Fortune will need Barry to be in flying form again this season.

 

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Jason Molloy

 

The former Galway United and Mervue United player signed for Athlone Town after missing a whole season of League of Ireland football in 2016 after being released by The Tribesmen in 2015. The winger brings plenty of experience to a young Athlone Town side. Molloy has spent several seasons in the Premier Division as well as playing in the First Division promotion play-offs twice, with Mervue United in 2013 and again with Galway United in 2014. Molloy also played in the 2015 EA Sports Cup final, which Galway United lost to St Patrick’s Athletic.

 



How they did last season:

 

League: 8th

 

The Midlanders propped up the SSE Airtricity League First Division last season, finishing bottom with only three wins out of 28 games. From the end of April to the beginning of July they lost seven games in a row in an abysmal run of form. They suffered a humiliating defeat at the end of that run, losing 5-1 to Cabinteely at Stradbrook, but they did get revenge on the south Dublin club later on in the season, beating them 4-0, one of the few positive results they had in 2016.

 

FAI Cup: Third Round

 

Athlone Town had a forgettable run in the FAI Cup last season as it took a replay and an extra time goal from Alan O’Sullivan to see them past non-league Letterkenny Rovers and into the next round, where they came up against Shamrock Rovers. The Hoops were unforgiving as they put five goals past the midlands club, dumping them out of the Cup.

 

EA Sports Cup: Second Round

 

The club received a bye in the first round and their second round opponents were Premier Division side, Shamrock Rovers. The youthful Hoops side proved to be too much for the First Division side on the night as they put three unanswered goals past The Midlanders.

 

What to expect this season:

 

Athlone Town boss Colin Fotune will have a job on his hands to avoid the bottom of the First Division again this season having a very young and inexperienced squad at his disposal. Many of the clubs that finished above the midlands club last season have also strengthened their squads including their main rivals at the bottom of the table, Cabinteely, and at the moment it looks like it will be another long hard year for The midlanders.

 

Title Odds: 12/1

 

First game: Waterford (home), Friday February 24th (kick-off 7.45pm)