Farm and Athlone must meet again - January 5, 2001
Home Farm Fingal 0 Athlone Town 0
'Keeper Gary Connaughton, whose participation was in doubt right up to kick-off, was Athlone's hero last night as the first division leaders lived to fight another day in the FAI Cup.
Connaughton saved a penalty to deny Home Farm Fingal what would have been a deserved victory. The teams will meet again Sunday, at St. Mel's Park (18:00 BST).
Connaughton dived low to deny Darren Hogan, after Michael Collins had upended substitute Paul Crowley in the box, six minutes into the second half.
The early chances fell to the visitors. Stuart Connolly had a poke from a 25-yard free kick tipped over by 'keeper Paul Whelan and Conor Frawley headed Greg Costello's corner off the crossbar.
But half an hour in, Home Farm began to carve out openings of their own - Austin Skelly going close and Alban Hysa wasting a couple of chances.
After Connaughton's penalty save, it was all Farm. Centre back Paul Whelan has a header cleared off the line and Hysa shot just over.
But Athlone could have nicked it at the end, when Whelan saved well from Stephen Mullan.
Home Farm Fingal: Paul A Whelan, Kelly, Fitzgerald, McGauley, Paul Whelan, Toal, Hogan, Skelly, Hysa, Parsons, Duggan
Subs: Crowley for McGauley 45, Honan for Hysa 82 mins
Athlone Town: Connaughton, Costello, Collins, Frawley, McCormack, Connolly, Kelly, Harte, Mullan, Carberry, Molloy
Subs: Clarke for Connolly 45, O'Driscoll for Carberry 82 mins
Referee: H Whoriskey (Dublin)