Athlone and Waterford all square after absorbing tie

Athlone Town and Waterford will go into Saturday's promotion play-off, semi-final second leg at the RSC on level terms after the teams played out an absorbing score draw at Lissywollen.

Both camps will feel they produced a performance deserving of more, but either side found the net just once in this first leg tie with both goals arriving in the second half.

The league's leading scorer Ronan Coughlan had Waterford in the lead early in the second half. But a Frantz Pierrot strike on 78 minutes ensured the home side will go into Saturday afternoon's return meeting with something with behind them.

On a poor run of form coming into this game, Athlone had been beaten four times in their final five league games, shipping a hefty 14 goals in the process. But despite also carrying the underdogs tag into this one, it was the hosts who created the better of the chances in the opening half.

Waterford's Conor Parsons caused trouble all night down his left side and fired an early shot at Town goalkeeper Enda Minogue. While the country's top marksman Coughlan, with an incredible 32 goals this season, had two opportunities early on. The first a cheeky chio from long-range after sloppy play in the Athlone midfield. While the ex-St Pat's striker arrived to the back post a little too late to be able to turn Parson's corner beyond Minogue.

The hosts are looking to end a run of nine years without Premier Division football and had the half's best chance on eleven minutes.

Athlone's top scorer Pierrot was under pressure from a trailing Waterford defender but probably should have scored when, five yards from goal, he headed Valerii Dolia's cross into the ground and over Sam Sargeant's crossbar.

The Munster sides have had the better of the meetings