Athlone offer little resistance

It was slightly less comfortable than expected, but Derry City eventually earned themselves a two goal advantage after an ultimately one-sided first leg of the National League Cup final at St Mel's Park last night.

It's been hard times in Athlone Town these days, and with caretaker manager Jimmy Greene in only his second game in charge, this was always going to be a significant challenge. And it will be little consolation to 1,000 or so supporters who braved the wet and wintry elements that the home side made a match of it for little more than the first quarter hour.

Defender Colm Holohan provided the perfect start for Athlone after just three minutes but goals from Eamon Doherty, Liam Coyle and Andy Moran ensured the result went as expected.

It was a brief moment of hope for the home side as Holohan appeared to send his cross from deep on the left a little too close to goal. However, debut goalkeeper Ciaran Wilkinson was desperately slow to react and even though he got a hand to the ball, it still curved into the net.

That was the opening and incentive they needed and the first 15 minutes remained in Athlone's control as Derry struggled to get out of their lethargic opening. Conor Frawley combined dangerously with Tony Izzi to ensure all the threats came from the home side. Athlone hadn't conceded a goal en route to this final and they didn't seem to be in much danger of losing that until Derry equalised after their first attack on goal.

Liam Coyle played through a long ball from around the halfway line and Moran ran it away from Holohan down to the right side of the box; Doherty then moved into the open space in the centre of the penalty area and blasted it into the net.

Most of the play was concentrated around midfield for the remainder of the half, with only Warren Parkes making the an isolated break forward for Athlone and Johnny McIvor responsible for the one of the better efforts at the other end.

Athlone didn't loose any of their commitment after the interval, keeping their momentum going forward and running with everything they got. Unfortunately, Derry's first real movement into the area ended with their second goal after 51 minutes. Moran again provided the cross and as the ball shot into the penalty area Coyle made the decisive diving header. The Premier Division side began to show their class with increasing effect and any hopes Athlone had disintegrated during the final quarter as Derry proved dominant.

First Moran hit the crossbar, then Doherty missed an open goal, but Moran wrapped things up nicely two minutes into injury time when he claimed Derry's third with a close range shot. This result leaves Athlone with a mountain to climb going into the return leg at the Brandywell next Wednesday. But for Derry manager Kevin Mahon this may be the start of a reversal of fortune to spearhead a return to form in the league.

Athlone Town: Connaughton; Malone, Holohan, Silke; Smyth, Carberry, Fitzell, Frawley; Izzi, Devine, Parkes. Subs: Clarke for Parkes (67 mins), Shevlin for Devine (83 mins).

Derry City: Wilkinson; McCallion, Gallagher, Hutton, Kelly; Doherty, Moran, Hegarty; Coyle, Beckett, McIvor. Subs: Hargan for Gallagher (22 mins), McCaul for Coyle (85 mins).

Referee: P McKeon (Dublin).