SLIGO ROVERS 2 GALWAY UTD 3
BY CONALL COLLIER
Five goals in a Showgrounds thriller as Galway Utd survived a stern Sligo Rovers examination and claimed the Women’s Premier Division points from Jenna Slattery’s 88th minute penalty goal.
It was a third successive victory for a Galway side that had scored seven goals in two previous WPD outings without conceding, but on this occasion they had to batten down the hatches in the second-half.
This was a first home game in the Women’s Premier Division for Sligo Rovers as they hosted Galway Utd for the second time in a week after the All-Island Cup group game seven days earlier.
Both teams made some changes with Kelly Crompton coming in for her first start of the season in place of Alice Lillie for Sligo Rovers while Galway made four changes.
Jessica Berlin took over from Maria O’Sullivan between the posts and the trio of Isabella Beletic, Lynsey McKey and Eve Dossen all started.
Galway dominated for most of the opening half and forced Amber Hardy into a finger-tip save in the sixth minute with Kelly Crompton completing the clearance. However, Galway forged ahead after 19 minutes when Jenna Slattery rifled to the net after the hosts failed to clear a corner.
The best chance for the Bit O’Red arrived 10 minutes from the interval when the impressive Keeva Flynn found Jodie Loughrey with a long pass out of defence and her centre was headed narrowly wide by Emma Doherty.
Sligo Rovers resumed smartly in the second-half and Doherty fired home a 53rd minute equaliser when she raced on to an excellent Crompton pass out of defence as Galway conceded a first goal of the season.
Galway upped the tempo and hit the front again in the 70thminute when Jamie Erickson found the net following a scramble in the Sligo Rovers penalty area.
The hosts displayed remarkable character to fashion an 82nd minute equaliser and this time it was Doherty who was the provider with a surge down the wing and a cross that Jodie Loughrey finished to the net at the far post.
Galway found a little bit more in the closing minutes with Julie Ann Russell, a second-half substitute, playing a crucial role and the winning goal arrived in the 88th minute when Slattery converted a penalty. The spot kick was awarded after the referee called play back despite Russell finishing to the net, but Slattery converted what turned out to be a hard-earned winner.
TEAMS
Sligo Rovers – Amber Hardy; Kelsey Munroe, Keeva Flynn, Emma Hansberry, Kelly Crompton, Muireann Devaney, Emma Doherty, Paula McGrory, Amy Roddy, Keri Loughrey, Jodie Loughrey.
Subs – Sarah Kiernan for Munroe half-time, Zoe McGlynn for Hansberry 54 mins, Eimear Lafferty for Roddy 70m, Alice Lillie for Crompton and Jessica Casey for McGrory both 78m.
Galway Utd – Jessica Berlin;
Aoibheann Costello, Isabella Beletic,
Jamie Erickson, Jenna Slattery, Kate Thompson, Rolake Olusola, Lynsey McKee, Emily Kavanagh, Therese Kinnevey, Eve Dossen.
Subs – Julie Ann Russell for Kavanagh 61 mins, Emma Duffy for Dossen 84m, Lucy Jane Grant for Olusola 92m.
Referee – Glen Geraghty.