Athlone and Waterford locked together after first-leg

Waterford were denied a penalty seven minutes from time.

ON THE MARK...AGAIN: Ronan Coughlan of Waterford. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Athlone Town 1 Frantz Pierrot ‘78 Waterford FC 1 Ronan Coughlan ‘52 

Waterford FC and Athlone Town shared the spoils in their SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division play-off first-leg at the Athlone Town Stadium, but it was the visitors that were left reeling with match referee Oliver Moran at the full-time whistle after they were denied a penalty seven minutes from time.

After the home side had early chances with their leading scorer Frantz Pierrot heading over from a Valerii Dolia cross on 12 minutes and Jamar Campion-Hinds firing narrowly wide with a good effort on 23 minutes, it was the Blues that took over early in the second-half.

Waterford started the second-half on the front foot and got their noses in front with a well-taken goal on 52 minutes when Ryan Burke’s throw picked out Ronan Coughlan, who turned brilliantly before powering a cracking left-footed shot past the helpless Enda Minogue for his 35th goal in all competitions.

It was the post that denied the top striker his second goal three minutes later when a neat move involving Connor Parsons and Romeo Akachukwu saw the latter set up Coughlan on his left-foot, but his strike came crashing back off the right-hand upright.

The home side drew level with 78 minutes on the clock when Perry’s clearance after a long ball into the area saw the ball break to Frantz Pierrot, who slipped the ball past Giles Phillips before calmly finishing right-footed to the bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the area.

Referee Moran took centre stage five minutes later for the big talking point when he ruled that Connor Parsons wasn’t fouled in the area when it appeared that he was clearly taken out by an Athlone defender, and a host of Blues players were cautioned amid strong protests.

Dean McMenamy should have won the game for the Blues deep into second-half added time when he raced onto a through ball from Ronan Coughlan, but he was denied by the outrushing Enda Minogue as it finished honours even and all to play for in the second-leg at the RSC on Saturday.

Athlone Town: Minogue; Baker (Kavanagh '88), Rodriguez, van Geenan, Duffy; Campion-Hinds (Orrego '33) (Forbes '88); McKenna (Leal '88), Hickey, Connolly, Dolia 6 (Gavin '80); Pierrot.

Waterford FC: Sargeant; Power, Perry, Phillips, Burke; Baggley, McDonald (O’Keeffe '86); Idowu, Akachukwu (McMenamy '90), Parsons; Coughlan.

Referee: O Moran (Dublin)