Colin Fortune sounds rallying cry for Athlon Town's European return

RTÉ News​

6 hours ago

Excitement is building in the midlands as a club with a storied European tradition returns to the big stage.
Colin Fortune leads Athlone Town, the reigning SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division champions, into battle against Cardiff City in Wednesday's first round of Champions League qualification.
The last time Athlone hosted a competitive European fixture was back in September 1983, when they were beaten 3-2 by Standard Liege in the European Cup.
Fortune was at that game as a young boy. A nephew of legendary brothers Turlough, Michael and Padraig O'Connor, he was also reared on stories of the famous game against AC Milan in '75, a nil-all draw at a jammed St Mel's Park.
Having succeeded Ciarán Kilduff as boss over the winter, the former army sergeant is now eyeing the opportunity to etch his name into club folklore.
"Listen, I lived in St Mel's Park," he said. "My family, we have a deep history with Athlone Town. My mother's an O'Connor. Turlough was the manager. Mel's Park back then was an unbelievable place. My mother's home place was in Sarsfield Square, the neighbouring estate. So I have massive, massive memories from them times.
"Something like this might just get people back on side, get people back supporting the club."
"The atmosphere around Athlone at the minute is really electric. Every person you meet on the street is talking about this Champions League game.
"Athlone town is a football town. Something like this might just get people back on side, get people back supporting the club. I'm expecting a big crowd on Wednesday night."
A thousand tickets have been sold for the clash, with the game also set to be streamed on LOITV.
Athlone enter the tournament through the 'Champions Path' - they have to come through the Round 1 semi-final Cardiff and then Saturday's final against Croatian champions Agram (which will also be held in Athlone) before making it to Round 2, where the big guns lie in wait.
It's 14 years since Eileen Gleeson's Peamount United became the first ever Irish side to emerge from the Champions League qualifying phase. That feat has not been emulated since.
Last year Peamount got to the Round 1 final but were beaten 2-1 by Osikjek in 30-degree heat over in Croatia. For Athlone to have home advantage this week is an enormous boost, with Fortune full of praise for new owner Nick Giannotti's efforts in ensuring the club were able to bring these ties to Ireland.
"Fair dues to our new owner, Nick Giannotti, for hosting this game, he put his shoulder to the wheel to get to host this," he said.
"We're delighted and it does a lot for Athlone.
"We were very close to going to Croatia, Zagreb. My staff were saying, 'why didn't we go to Zagreb?!' But the weather conditions over there and the culture and the whole lot, it's a different animal altogether.
"The dynamics are totally different, just trying to prepare for that, it's nearly nigh-on impossible, for where we are as a group, where we are as a club, other clubs would be way ahead of us. Home advantage is absolutely huge.
"I keep saying it here locally, that's why we need the support, that's why we need the people of Athlone to come out and get behind us because I think that's going to be an important factor as well.
"The players, they will give it all, I've no doubt about that, they will turn up and they will be 100% at it, but there's going to be times in the game where they're going to need a bit of a push, a bit of backing. That's why we need the support behind us from the town and from the country. That's why home advantage is so important."
Cardiff have lost all seven matches they've previously played in the Champions League, but they'll be no pushovers. In March, they won their third Adran Premier League title in a row, and then beat Wrexham 3-1 to lift the Bute Energy Welsh Cup and complete the double.
"I've got a bit (of information) on them alright," added Fortune, who is hopeful Madison Gibson and Izzy Groves will win their fitness battles for Wednesday.
"They're a very formidable side, this is their third year concurrent in this competition. Although their results in this competition haven't been good, it's a little bit false because they've been up against some difficult teams.
"They done the double last year in Wales. They done the treble the year before. Last year's double, they've held on to about 80% of that squad, so I'm expecting a very, very tough game."