Niall Quinn feels for Athlone players who are ‘victims’

Irish football legend Niall Quinn says he feels for any Athlone Town players who are innocent of wrongdoing, as the FAI launches an investigation into irregular betting patterns around the club’s 3-1 defeat to Longford Town in the League of Ireland First Division last Saturday.

It’s understood the probe will focus in particular on heavy betting in Asia on the prospect of a third goal coming late on in the game which meant that, unusually, the price was odds-on when the final goal was actually scored in the 87th minute.

The FAI, who are acting on the basis of a detailed Uefa report, plan to begin interviewing players, coaches, and officials of Athlone Town on Monday.