Gourdie misses penalty as Athlone run out winners over Cobh Ramblers

Athlone Town manager Ian Ryan shouts from the sideline. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

LOI Men's First Division: Athlone Town 2 Cobh Ramblers 0 

Athlone Town bounced back from their first defeat of the season with two second half goals defeating Cobh Ramblers who missed a first half penalty kick.

Cobh had a number of good chances to take a half time lead but also could have headed off for the break behind as Athlone hit the post in stoppage time. The first chance for the visitors came on 9 minutes when Rhys Gourdies shot was parried by Andrew Stuart-Trainor. 

Lucas Curtin came closer five minutes later when he cracked a shot from the left off the post. Cobh continued to dominate as the half progressed with Athlone's only danger coming from free kicks delivered into the penalty area by Aaron Connolly. 

The deadlock should have been broken by Ramblers after 36 minutes when Kyle O’Connor handled a Rhys Brennan shot. Gourdie stepped up from twelve yards range but did not even trouble the keeper firing the spot kick wide of the target and failing to replicate what he did against Cork City a week earlier. 

Athlone took heart from the miss and were almost gifted the lead in stoppage time. A Patrick Ferry shot from the left was hooked goal wards by Garry Buckley but the post prevented a spectacular own goal.

The second half was just 7 minutes old when Athlone opened the scoring from their first corner kick. Kyle O’Connor’s delivery to the near post was headed home from close range by Ferry. 

The lead was doubled just before the hour mark. Aderinsola Adewale created the opening on the left and although Cillian Tolletts shot crashed off the woodwork, Aaron Connolly followed up to drill the rebound home. 

Cobh pressed hard to reduce the deficit but to no avail as Athlones Kyle O’Connor crashed a stoppage time free kick off the bar.

Athlone Town: Stuart-Trainor, K O’Connor, Hand, Webb, E O’Connor, Maloney, Connolly, McManus, Adewale (Lomboto 75m), Ferry (Smith 88), Tollett (Grogan 63).

Cobh Ramblers: Martin, Griffin, Waweru (Kelly-Noonan 86), Gourdie (McGlade 82), Brennan (Osorio 74), Curtin, Crowe, Carroll (Honohan 74), Buckley, Abbott (Frahill 74), Coleman.

Referee: Mark Houlihan (Dublin)