Athlone ensure survival as Tyrrellspass suffer league relegation

Athlone 1-13, Tyrrellspass 1-6

Athlone ensured themselves of Division One league football next year by defeating Tyrrellspass at Páirc Chiaráin last Thursday evening.

Coming into the game, Athlone were on four points on the table and they needed to beat Tyrrellspass and get themselves to six points, which they did comfortably. And with Coralstown/Kinnegad beating Shandonagh, those two results keep Athlone in the top tier for 2026, while Tyrrellspass are relegated for 2026.

With both teams having very few players involved with Westmeath and both short a couple of regulars, the teams were expected to tear into this relegation battle on a beautiful evening for football, but this did not really materialise.

The game never took off and it was flat from the throw-in. There was a lack of genuine intensity from both teams, apart from the odd swashbuckling burst from Shane Allen for Athlone and Cormac Monaghan for Tyrrellspass.

With both sides holding possession for long periods, going laterally or backwards, they showed why they were in a relegation battle in the first place.

Mark Egan got the scoring up and running for hosts Athlone in the third minute, before Cillian Geary found the net. After build-up play by Danny Reid, Egan’s goal bound attempt came back off the post and Geary finished the rebound past Joe Hyland in the Tyrrellspass goal.

Neale Pierson opened the Tyrrellspass account in the fifth minute. Scores were plentiful at this stage and there were hopes for a high scoring and exciting game.

Tyrrellspass scored just twice more in the first half, with points from Dean McNicholas and another from Pierson the best they could put together.

Athlone weren’t much better, but two Shane Allen frees and a point by Geary were enough to give the Shannonsiders a 1-4 to 0-3 lead at half-time.

Any hope of a second half response from Tyrrellspass after they scored a penalty in the first few minutes of the restart went out with a whimper. They scored just twice more and looked like a side that wanted the full time whistle long before it was blown.

Substitute Kieran Geraghty was fouled for the penalty and he scored the spot kick himself. The same player added a free later after David Lynam was fouled. Other than that, it was all Athlone in the second half.

Shane Allen kicked 0-5 of their second half total, with four of those from frees. They brought on three subs and played out the last quarter in their ease.

Eoin Jordan’s side did what they had to do, and they are safe for another year. That’s all that really matters to both the management and players for now. They have plenty of time to get their fitness and tactics in place before the championship.

Scorers - Athlone S Allen 0-7 (5f); C Geary 1-3; M Egan, D Reid and S O’Connor 0-1 each. Tyrrellspass: K Geraghty 1-0; N Pierson 0-2; P Pierson, D McNicholas, D Lynam and T Ryan 0-1 each.

Athlone - Darren Costello; Josh Kenny, James Finlass, Michael Byrne; Diarmuid Martin, Kieran Colclough, Luke O’Connell; John Stapleton, Shane Allen; Mark Egan, Donagh Prendergast, Ben Killian; Cillian Geary, Daniel Reid, Stephen O’Connor. Subs used: Ryan O’Connor, Matt Scally and Niall McKenna.

Tyrrellspass - Joe Hyland; Mark Devine, Cormac Monaghan, Kai Harte; Daire Early, Jamie Corcoran, Conor Slevin; David Lynam, Adam Flanagan; Cathal Dunne, Neale Pierson, Evan Connell; Peter Pierson, Dean McNicholas, Thomas Ryan. Subs used: Kieran Geraghty and Eoin Corcoran.

Referee - Enda Kelly (Castledaly).