Athlone Town progress in play-offs after Wexford stalemate

Athlone Town got the draw they needed to book a meeting with Bray Wanderers or UCD in the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division play-off final after a hard-fought encounter in Ferrycarrig Park

Trailing to a Dean Ebbe penalty after the first leg Wexford needed a win here, but try as they might they just couldn't break down a committed Athlone outfit.

The visitors almost got off to the perfect start with Kyle Robinson testing goalkeeper Conor Walsh inside the opening 30 seconds.

Wexford had to wait until the 15th minute for their first sight of goal when Thomas Oluwa cut inside and saw his right-footed shot blocked, while moments later Darragh Levingston’s effort hit a defender.

The home side lost the influential Kian Corbally to injury in the 22nd minute, with Conor Crowley taking his place, but they continued to grow into the game as the first half wore on.

Mark Hanratty was next to see his shot ricochet off an Athlone player after being found by Oluwa and Wexford created their first clearcut opportunity in the 33rd minute.

Crowley’s cross from the left was helped on by Thomas Oluwa into the path of Aaron Dobbs, but the striker skewed his left-footed shot wide of the right post.

Moments later the Slaneysiders threatened again when Seán McHale got his head to a James Crawford corner, but the ball looped harmlessly into the arms of Enda Minogue, with Oluwa warming the netminder’s gloves in the next attack.

Oluwa then got his head to a dangerous Hanratty cross, but couldn’t steer his effort on target, while, at the other end, the midlanders had a gilt-edged chance to give themselves some breathing space in the 45th minute.

Gideon Tetteh slid the ball to Kyle Robinson and, although the attacker worked space for the shot well, he blazed