Athlone Town 1-2 Sporting Fingal
Sporting Fingal kept their promotion charge intact on Saturday night by taking full points away at Athlone Town.
Just eight days after knocking Athlone out of the FAI Ford Cup, Fingal went head to head against the Midlanders once more but this contest was far more competitive than the 4-1 cup landslide.
Conan Byrne's recent golden streak of scoring continued as his winner on the hour claimed the points for ten-man Fingal.
The winger availed of some hesitancy in the Athlone back-line to nip in and finish for the decisive strike.
Robert Bayly's 13th minute opener was cancelled out by the home side ten minutes before the break when Andrea Georgescu clipped in with a goal.
Captain Shaun Maher is suspended for the Waterford game, having been sent-off in Athlone on Saturday.
Byrne’s crucial goal, his 16th of the campaign to date, was imperative as it enabled to stay with pace-setters Shelbourne, who scored two late goals on Friday night to beat Kildare County.
The win was Fingal’s fourth in a row, five in all competitions, pushing them into third place on goal difference over Waterford United, whom they met the following Saturday away from home.
Fingal manager Liam Buckley has impressed upon his players the importance of maintaining their good recent form.
“The team are playing with a confidence at present that has resulted in some excellent wins of late,” he said.
“We can’t afford to be complacent about that, as this Division has been extremely close all season and four teams are all battling for that top spot and also the play-off place.
“Our priority is to keep our players fit and available until the end of the season. Once that happens and we’re all full-strength, I know we won’t be left wanting when it comes to quality, desire and character.”
Athlone Town: A O’Reilly, N O’Reilly (Hamm 61), Cleary, Hardy, Hope, Salmon, O’Halloran (Place 53), Georgescu, Skelly, Benson, O’Connor (Murphy 85).
Sporting Fingal: Quigley; Gannon, Maher, Paisley, Fitzgerald; Bayly, McFaul, Williams; C. Byrne (Foley 89), O’Neill (Zayed 77), Kirby.
Referee: James McKell.