Devitt delivers late on as Treaty sneak past Athlone

Lee Devitt of Treaty United. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

First Division: Treaty United 3 (Ferry 6, Byrne 69, Devitt 90) Athlone Town 2 (Williams 46+1, J Oyenuga 60) 

There was penalty drama as Treaty United came from behind to defeat basement side Athlone Town. 

Captain Lee Devitt converted the third penalty of the evening, in what was a dramatic game right from the first whistle.

The 90th minute winning effort was a fifteenth of the First Division for Clare native Devitt.

Athlone remain without a victory since early May, and one more time they let a lead slip against Treaty. Having won their last home game, Tommy Barrett’s troops fell well short against Cobh Ramblers last time out.

Bray’s late comeback against Finn Harps opens up a six-point buffer for Treaty over the Donegal men, as they continue to occupy the final play-off berth.

This is now back-to-back home wins for the Limerick side, who needed Devitt’s late penalty to add to earlier efforts from Patrick Ferry and Mark Byrne.

A third goal since his July move to Treaty for ‘Dixie’ Ferry gave United a sixth minute lead. He headed home from close range after an accurate Mark Byrne cross.

Things could have been so different early on. Jason Oyenuga hit the bar for the Midlanders inside two minutes while they came just as close in the tenth minute, with Corey Chambers stranded.

Dylan Hand’s downward header also rebounded away off the bar, after a superb Billy Gilmore delivery, in the tenth minute.

Eoin Martin went close on 35 minutes. He was unable to guide Lee Devitt’s header on target as Athlone looked lost when defending a corner.

Ian Ryan’s men played with the ambition of improving their lowly total of seventeen points, but they failed to control proceedings when they went in front, allowing the home side to gain late momentum.

Athlone had welcomed a bit of fortune on the verge of half-time, Oyenuga flicking the ball off the hand of Lee Devitt, inside the area. Dean Williams stroked home the penalty kick to leave it one apiece at half-time.

A penalty, conceded by keeper Lee Axworthy Duggan early in the second half was wasted by the Shannonsiders. Ferry skied it, via the crossbar, and with it a huge opportunity to take the lead.

Williams turned provider for Oyenuga on the hour mark; he buried beyond Chambers for an unexpected lead.

It was Mark Byrne, however, who tied the game within nine minutes, neatly turning and controlling in the area before dispatching to the net.

Devitt soon whizzed a free-kick narrowly wide as the hosts piled on the pressure.

Defender Dylan Hand was adjudged to have felled Ferry in the 88th minute – allowing captain Devitt convert the third penalty of the evening and sneak all three points.

Meanwhile, a Mikie Rowe hat-trick ensured Wexford took all three points at home to Cobh Ramblers, while UCD overcame cup semi-finalists.

Treaty United: C Chambers; C Horgan (N Kozlowski 84), E Martin, R Boevi (R Lynch 46), B Lynch; K O’Sullivan, S Healy (C Conroy 61), L Devitt, M Murphy (B Lee 61), M Byrne (R Lawlor 76); P Ferry.

Athlone Town: L Axworthy; N Baba, D Hand, R Webb, D McKenna (B Feeney 82); B Gilmore, D Hand, O Duffy (A Lennon 61); G Tetteh (K Thiam 73), D Williams (M Scally 82), J Oyenuga.

Referee: M Houlihan.