Athlone Town booked their place in the first division play-offs after a scoreless draw with Longford Town.
The final El Classico of the season, gave Longford Town their first point against their midland rivals Athlone this season writes Tony Ghee.
An uneventful opening 30 minutes produced just three chances, all going to Athlone. All three flying over the bar.
Stephen Henderson’s charges had to wait until the last minute of the half to create their only opportunity.
Ola Adeyemo cleverly played a short pass to find Adam Wixted inside the Athlone box. Athlone keeper Enda Minogue clawing the ball away from under the bar.
In the first minute of the second-half, Longford keeper Jack Brady produced an excellent save to push a Campion-Hinds effort out.
Against the run of play, Longford should have hit the front on 49 minutes. Adeyemo, whipped in a low cross that picked out Ross Fay. However, the Longford midfielder somehow shot wide from just seven-yards.
Athlone came close to rattling the Longford net twice in the space of five minutes. On 69 minutes, substitute Dylan curled a 25-yard shot beyond Longford keeper Brady but just past the post.
Five minutes later, Athlone missed a glorious chance to score when Oisin Duffy’s right-wing cross found Gavin totally unmarked. But he headed just wide from 10-yards.
Longford nearly steel it
Longford should have won the match in stoppage time when top-scorer Cristian Magerusan missed an absolute sitter.
Joshua Giurgi’s pin-point cross found an unmarked Magerusan on the edge of the six-yard, but he somehow screwed his shot high and wide.
Athlone Town (4-2-3-1): Minogue, Baker, Rodriguez, Van Geenan, Duffy, Connolly (Leal 88), McKenna, Campion-Hinds (McGlone 88), Hickey, Dolia (Gavin 31), Pierrot.
Longford Town (4-2-3-1): Brady, Boudiaf, Temple, Hand, O’Connor, Serdeniuk, Hery, Campbell (Giurgi 66), Fay (Armstrong 73), Wixted (Doona 66), Ola Adeyemo (Magerusan 66).
Referee: Alan Patchell.
