Win or bust for Athletic

Mullingar Athletic have a clean bill of health for this Friday evening's winner takes all clash against arch rivals Willow Park in Athlone.
Gerry Hynes’ charges know exactly what they have to do in this quintessential six pointer - win and the 2012/13 CCFL Senior Division title is theirs, lose and second place Willow Park will join them on 41 points with a game left to play.
When the sides met earlier in the season in Gainstown it ended all square. If they share the points again on Friday night and Willow Park win their last match, the sides will meet in a playoff on May 19.
After a “shaky” start to the season, Athletic have been the team to beat and Hynes was full of praise for the way his side turned things around.
“Our form wasn’t good but we still pulled results out of the fire, but since October/November we have been playing really well,” Hynes told the Westmeath Examiner.
With Mickey Loran coming back from a hamstring injury, Athletic will be at full strength for the season’s biggest game.
After Friday’s game Athletic face CK in the final of the CCFL Cup, but manager Hynes says that his side’s focus is firmly set on Friday night and securing the first part of what would be a historic double.
“The league is the be all and end all. There will be a kick of a ball in it,” he says.