March
'Manager of the Month'
With only two games into my managerial career and the first month, I was awarded manager of the month. It was a nice surprise as we didn't win our two games! The Chairman said to the media that he was proud of the award and my work rate! So, I requested to extend my contract but it was not recommended!
The Curse
With the manager of the month award came the curse of not living up to that expectation the following month. We would go on to lose our next FOUR league games!
Tuesday, 1st March '22
CORK CITY v ATHLONE TOWN
First Division Match 3
Another long journey south, a six hour round trip! We changed a number of players as we had a few games in a short space of time. We were outfought and outplayed. They scored a goal in the sixth minute and very little happened after that!
Full-time: 1-0
Friday, 4th March '22
ATHLONE TOWN v BRAY WANDERERS
First Division Match 4
This is a game I fancied ourselves. We put out the strongest side we had. Bray will be mid table or lower and to win this game was important.
Within 25 seconds we were a goal down! Their attack started at their right full back who hit it long up the line to their right winger, his first time cross found an unmarked Feeney who headed down and into the corner giving the keeper no chance! I was fuming but there was plenty of time left.
Almost twenty minutes, our centre back Mutawe hits a long ball forward for Mahony to run onto. He's just outside the box and their defender acrimoniously takes him down. The referee has not other option but to send him off. With the resulting free kick, Connolly strikes it well but it bounces off the crossbar and cleared by the Bray defence. We put the pressure on but could not get an equaliser as we head into the break a goal down.
Just five minutes into the second half Bray get another goal! A cross from the left to an unmarked McSweeney who shoots into the corner.
With a wave of attack, corners, free kicks, attacks down the flanks and long balls forward the Bray defence stood firm. However on 85 minutes we were level! Not in the score but in red cards, Oluwa our talented forward had already been booked but alleged to have handled the ball and was given his marching orders!
A disappointing defeat, especially to one of the teams around us, at home! We went in with high expectations but left with our heads down.
Full-time: 0-2
Friday, 11th March '22
ATHLONE TOWN v GALWAY UNITED
First Division Match 5
Another derby, unfortunately the performance wasn't as good as the first derby against Longford. Goals galore, six in total with Galway getting four!
We were three down at half time. We came out a different side and managed to pull two goals back within the first 15 minutes of the second half. Armstrong with a penalty and Doyle scoring from a long ball forward. We went for the equaliser but with that we left gaps at the back and Galway took advantage. They wrapped up the game on 82 minutes.
Full-time: 2-4
Friday, 18th March '22
WATERFORD v ATHLONE TOWN
First Division Match 6
The day after St. Patricks Day! Not a sober man in the country. Well we felt fairly sober after leaving another long trip down south to Waterford. It can only be described as a hammering! We weren't in the game at all. They were a different class. Three goals that could all have been prevented was it not for a bad backline and poor keeper
Full-time: 3-0
Friday, 25th March '22
TREATY UNITED v ATHLONE TOWN
First Division Match 7
Another trip down south, and were in the midlands! This time only a two drive to there and two hour back. We had been battered and bruised from the previous four games. All defeats. We needed to stop the rot. Losing here was not an option. The fans would be calling for my head if we didn't get something from the game.
We couldnt have stareted the match any better. Goals from Oluwa and Doyle inside the first ten minutes put our 20 travelling fans at ease. We were in total control. But being the side that we are we didnt kill off the game. Treaty got a goal back early in the second half but we managed to hold and get three valuable points.
Our first win away from home, our first ever win over Treaty, as they only joined the league this year.
Full-time: 1-2
Transfers In
Three players were recruited during the month, Cunningham and Doyle are both strikers and Horgan is a keeper. All were at the club on trial and given contracts. The squad is building, we still have some dead wood but it's slowly coming together.
Next Month:
We have five league games in April. Three at home and two away. Only one is against the so called top sides in the division. Otherwise I'd like to pick up a good few points in this month.