Athletic go the extra mile to finally get the job done

Mullingar Athletic 4, Clonown Rovers 3 (AET)

A Combined Counties Cup game that should have been done and dusted in regulation time went to 110 minutes in a wild and windy Gainstown last Sunday week. And Mullingar Athletic eventually went stuttering and stumbling past Clonown Rovers and into the next round.

Make no mistake, Athletic were far the better side here and dominated possession and scoring chances but three absolute howlers, with two of them coming in the 91st and 94th minutes, saw Clonown Rovers restore parity in a game they had almost conceded.

Redemption came with a Jake Costello strike for Atheltic in the second period of extra-time and it was precisely what they deserved, even if they went the long-winded way about it, which was pretty apt on a day when a gale blew from start to finish.

The opening salvos were pretty even but as the wind rose and the rain fell it was hard to have any kind of cohesion in play but what did impress was Athletic's pass and move game that was defying the elements. Ross Clinton had a couple of chances and even had one cleared off the line as Athletic pressed for the opener but after thwarting the opposition quite comfortably a defensive slip allowed Ivan Salima to score for Clonown against the run of play with a well taken side-footed effort.

Kealan Behen and Tito Ofalawes had chances for the home side, but it was the former who drew his side level when he beat the offside trap and slid in a beauty just on the cusp of half-time. That mean, at the interval, it was 1-1.

Atheltic made a double substitution at the break and it had immediate effect as Tyreke Creevy set up Athletic's second on 47 minutes for Ofalawes to net expertly.

Then fellow sub Stephen Cleary showed magical feet to slot in a third six minutes later. Now the home side had a more reflective 3-1 lead and looked home and hosed.

The game meandered mostly thereafter with Athletic unfortunate not to add another with Creevy and Cleary going close and Jordan Awunah denied by a fine save from the Clonown goalie. It seemed to be enough, however, until totally against the run of play, a howler from the Athletic defence allowed Jack McManus to tap in unopposed for Clonown which, in essence, felt like a consolation goal.

But four minutes into added time, Clonown sub Diego Bayon scored a worldie from 35 yards and levelled the game with the last kick of the ball, and we headed to extra-time.

Again Athletic dominated as Clonown began to tire considerably and Cleary almost had a brace but for a brilliant save by Niall Fowler in the opening half, which passed uneventfully apart from that. However, in the second period, Athletic were rewarded when another sub, Jake Costello, beat the offside trap and rammed in what proved to be the winner in the fifth minute of the half.

It was enough to quench the spirit of the dogged Athlone visitors and in the end Mullingar held on comfortably to seal their place in the next round and eventually send Clonown home with nothing to show but their fierce determination and spirit.

Scorers - Mullingar Athletic: Kealan Behan (44 minutes), Tito Ofalawes (47 mins), Stephen Cleary (53 mins), Jake Costello (104 mins). Clonown Rovers: Ivan Salima (38 mins), Jack McManus (91 mins), Diego Bayon (94 mins).

Mullingar Athletic: Alan Colgan, Neilas Vitkauskas, Daniel Chukwemeke, Jordan Awunah, Darren McWade, Dylan McDonnell, Kealan Behen, Daithí Ó Mairtín, Ross Clinton, Ben Shaw, Tito Ofalawes: Subs: Tyreke Creevy for Behen and Stephen Cleary for O’Mairtin (H-T), Jake Costello for Chukwemeke (49 mins), Mohamed Hamid for Ofalawes (81), Effie Siode for Creevy (100 mins).

Clonown Rovers: Niall Fowler, Nathan Fahy Kelly, Thomas McFadden, Thiago Lansing, Kyle Tobin, Ronan Gavin, CJ Isayas, Alex Francis, James Kilmartin, Ivan Salima, Kevin Quinn. Subs: Kacper Czerniak for Tobin (34 mins), Jack McManus for Quinn (53), Dylan Potter for Kelly (59), Kevin Cleary for Salima (67) Diego Bayon for Isayas (79).

Referee: Damian McCormack.