By Conall Collier

The long journey was much shorter on the way home as Sligo Rovers Women maintained recent good form with a first Women’s Premier Division win of the season as they got the better of Cork City with a goal in each half from Muireann Devaney and Keri Loughrey.

That’s  three successive games unbeaten in the WPD and the victory will certainly boost confidence for the final home game of the season next Saturday against Wexford.

This game was played at Leeside FC (pictured) which is located at Little Island after the alternative venue that was declared on Thursday afternoon, St Colman’s Park, Cobh was deemed unsuitable on Saturday afternoon.

The game was initially moved from Turner’s Cross on Thursday due to the anticipated inclement weather and the various Status Orange and Status Yellow weather alerts from Met Eireann.

The diversion to Little Island was slightly shorter than the journey to Cobh although it still added some extra travel time and distance with the kick-off time also changed from 5pm to 7pm.

Both teams had to cope with poor conditions at the windswept and rain-lashed venue.

Cork City had a couple of early chances from Freya De Mange who saw her shot saved by Bonnie McKiernan and soon after Barrett Edison was denied by the post.

However, the Bit O’Red remained composed and produced some enterprising passages of play before finding the lead goal in the 15th minute when Muireann Devaney hit the target with a fine finish.

The joy for the Bit O’Red was brief as Christina Dring conjured up an equaliser inside a minute and the sides remained deadlocked at the interval.

Cork City resumed smartly, but Sligo Rovers stood strong and the first real action of the second-half was a card to a member of the home sideline team around the hour mark.

Then there was a stoppage in play due to an injury sustained by Rachel McGoldrick with about 15 minutes remaining and she was replaced by Paula McGrory.

Despite the wind and rain Sligo Rovers kept probing for an opening and in the 82nd minute Keri Loughrey, a consistent performer all season, gave Sligo Rovers the lead and they weathered the storm in the closing minutes for that crucial victory.

THE TEAMS

Cork City – Una Foyle; Kiera Sena, Orlaith O’Mahony, Christina Dring, Freya De Mange, Niamh Cotter, Barrett Edison, Colleen Kennedy O’Connell, Dorothea Greulich, Alix Mendez, Becky Cassin.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKernan; Cara King, Alice Lillie, Sarah Kiernan, Kate Nugent, Emma Hansberry, Muireann Devaney, Eimear Lafferty, Rachel McGoldrick, Keri Loughrey, Katie Melly.

Subs – Paula McGrory for McGoldrick and Keeva Flynn for Kiernan both 75 mins, Leah Kelly for Devaney and Robecca Doddy for Melly both 83m.

By Jim Gray

Deep in untamed woodlands nestling high above Sligo’s sacred Tobarnalt Holy Well, camouflaged amongst a thicket of tangled briers and sharp-thorned brambles, rests a 10” plaque bearing the name of Sean Fallon. The only person who knows its location and its significance is the man who put it there, Fallon’s only son, Sean T.

In a gesture graphically illustrating his late father’s indelible connection with his birthplace, Fallon Junior brought the plaque, which had been used as a temporary monument on his father’s grave in Glasgow, to the place he knew his dad would most like to be remembered.

As a child, he was brought to this holy place by his father every summer. Far from the fame of Glasgow Celtic’s “Iron Man” status, Sean Fallon would come here with his young family, unknown and unfettered, to touch base with a tradition he’d learned as a young boy growing up in St. Anne’s Terrace on the banks of the Garavogue River.

Now, months after his death in 2013, his son was back on familiar turf. He climbed slippery rocks, battled his way through thick, prickly shrubs and gorse, found an isolated patch and, with hands torn and scratched from the effort, placed the nameplate in its new home.

“For me, it’s his homecoming. I just wanted to signify his love of Sligo and of the Holy Well in particular,” Fallon junior explains.

It’s but one of many engrossing stories which illuminate the larger-than-life character of a genuine Sligo legend – a man from a humble working-class background who went on to become an iconic figure at Glasgow Celtic Football Club; who helped discover, nurture and construct the immortal Lisbon Lions, a team named after the city in which Celtic became the first British team to win the European Cup in 1967; whose unerring eye for raw potential unearthed further generations of International footballers; who travelled the world as a football ambassador, uniquely playing for both the Republic of Ireland and a Northern Ireland representative team; who counted luminaries such as Alex Ferguson and Sean Connery as close personal friends; but who was never more at home than playing a round of golf at Rosses Point or kneeling in prayer at the Holy Well.

Sean Fallon’s astonishing football exploits are well documented. He is revered in his adopted city of Glasgow and he is honoured with two separate football pitches named after him in his native town, the county council owned pitch at Cranmore and the Sligo Rovers Astro turf facility at the Showgrounds, which fittingly serves as the home venue and training facility for the club’s academy teams.

But the gregarious, magnanimous man behind the legend is in many ways even more impressive. His innate kindness suited his role as a father-figure to so many aspiring footballers, many of whom owe their extravagant careers to his early down-to-earth guidance and advice.

Legendary Irish goalkeeper, Packie Bonner, the hero of Italia 90, is one of those who Fallon took under his wing, and he has never forgotten the Sligo man’s early influences.

Signed by Fallon in 1977 when he was just 17 years old, Bonner was surprised and a little disappointed to learn the Sligoman had left the club by the time he arrived in Glasgow a few months later. But he needn’t have worried. Although fortunate to live with his aunt in the Simshill district of Glasgow – many of his contemporaries would have been in ‘digs’ with families they didn’t know – Bonner was nonetheless naturally homesick. He had left behind a close-knit family in the small fishing village of Burtonport, Co. Donegal, and was particularly missing the company of his twin brother, Denis. When he most needed a comforting, re-assuring arm around his shoulders, Sean Fallon provided it.

  “He was always looking out for me. He’d regularly invite me to his house for Sunday lunch, and I got to know his family really well. We had a great relationship,” Bonner confides.

“I never knew him as a coach or a manager, but I knew him as a man, a really good man. He was a real Irish man, and you could see those Irish qualities, particularly when it came to his family, who he adored. He was always the one who seemed to be picking me up and dropping me off wherever I was going.

“He knew my dad had died at a relatively young age and that there were six of us at home, so he was always asking after my mother and siblings. I remember when his own daughter, a doctor, went abroad to work for a short while, Sean was devastated because she was the first to go and he missed her so much. There were tears in his eyes. He could identify with that, and I suppose that’s why he looked out for all the young lads away from home at Celtic.”

Bonner also witnessed Fallon’s immortal devotion to his home town.

“God, he never stopped talking about Sligo,” he reveals. “The late Celtic manager, Tommy Burns, told me once how they had gone to play Finn Harps in a friendly match in Ballybofey, and Sean insisted they stop off at Rosses Point for a round of golf on the way home. Tommy said he was like a little boy showing off a new toy, he was so proud to show them the beauty of his home county.”

Sean T Fallon would be familiar with that trait in his late father, who gathered his young family into a packed people carrier every summer, sailing from Stranraer to Larne or Liverpool to Dublin, and then driving on to Sligo.

“That was our summer holiday every year. We took a house from Johnny McGonigle in Rosses Point, we’d go swimming in the sea, play golf, visit our grandparents in St. Anne’s and, always, the Holy Well.  Dad could have taken us abroad for holidays, but he never wanted to be anywhere but Sligo, and he instilled that in all of us. Myself and my five sisters still come back as often as we can,” Fallon confirms.

Being the only son of a famous football man had other benefits, too, of course, as Sean T explains: “I’d sometimes be allowed on the team bus, that was great fun. I remember once Lou Macari, who my dad had signed for Celtic, coming to our house and giving me a pair of boots he’d just worn in a testimonial game between Celtic and Manchester United.

“On another occasion, I was at a pro-am golf tournament with dad when Sean Connery, 007 himself, came over for a chat. Later, he wrote dad a lovely letter on specially headed notepaper, and I sneaked it out and copied down the phone number. I went into school next day boasting that I had James Bond’s personal number!”

Another of Fallon’s life-long friends was Sir Alex Ferguson. The pair had met when Falllon was at his peak, Assistant Manager to Jock Stien in charge of an all-conquering Celtic team, and Ferguson was a rookie boss, cutting his managerial teeth. Fallon, perhaps seeing something of himself in the ambitious, working- class young man from Glasgow’s tough Govan area, became a willing and valuable mentor. More than thirty years later, Ferguson, then a global football legend, travelled to Sligo as guest speaker at a function to honour Fallon’s career. When Fallon died in January, 2013, Ferguson broke away from a Manchester United trip abroad to deliver a touching eulogy at his friend’s funeral.

Former RTE Northern Editor, the late Tommie Gorman, who was the last journalist to interview Fallon for an RTE Nationwide programme only days before his sudden death, had a first-hand view of the strong friendship between the two football greats. 

In 2012, Ferguson was in Belfast at an event honouring United’s Munich air disaster survivor, Harry Gregg, and the strict official line was that there would be no Press interviews. When Gorman got word through that his request was for a tribute to Fallon, the access policy changed and Ferguson readily made himself available to talk about his old friend. 

A few months later, on the day of Fallon’s funeral, Ferguson sought Gorman out.

“He quietly called me aside because he knew I had been involved in what was Sean’s final interview,” Gorman later recalled.  “We sat into his car, and we chatted about Sean Fallon, the family man, the football man. Ferguson was keen to know what sort of form his friend had been in during those last days of his life. He really cared about him. You could sense the depth of their friendship.”

Sean Fallon played as a full-back and centre-forward for Celtic from 1950 to 1958, making a total of 254 appearances, winning a Scottish League and two Scottish Cup medals, and earning eight caps for the Republic of Ireland.  During one game, at a time before substitutes were allowed, he went off injured only to return and complete the game with his arm in a sling, thus earning him the immortal “Iron Man” nickname.

Those who knew him as a youngster in Sligo would not have been surprised by such athleticism, as he had been a keen swimmer, boxer, Gaelic footballer and soccer player in his youth. He famously scored two goals for Sligo against Kerry in a 1948 National League game, one of the few GAA matches ever to be staged in the Showgrounds.  A baker by profession, he played locally for McArthurs and Distillery and always retained a fondness for those formative years. 

He played for Longford Town, Sligo Rovers and Glenavon before making the move to full-time football with Celtic, where he soon became a firm favourite, initially as a fearless player and later as coach, assistant manager and chief scout.

More than half of Celtic’s European Cup winning team had been recruited by Fallon. Lisbon Lions such as Bertie Auld, Ronnie Simpson, Tommie Gemmill, John Craig, and Bobby Murdoch had all been unearthed and tutored by the Sligoman. Later, a new generation of Celtic greats, players of the calibre of David Hay, Danny McGrain, Lou Macari, Kenny Dalglish, Paul McStay and Packie Bonner came through the Fallon production line. Two players with lasting links to the history of Sligo Rovers, Willie McStay and the late Pat McCluskey, were others signed for Celtic by Fallon.

Honoured as a Freeman of his native Sligo, Fallon’s last public act for his beloved Celtic was to unfurl the league winners’ flag at Parkhead during the club’s 125^th anniversary season in 2012. He died a much-loved man in January, 2013, survived by his wife, Myra, five daughters and a son.

His old pal, Alex Ferguson, summed him up perfectly in his eulogy at his funeral Mass in the Church of Christ the King, King’s Park, Glasgow: “It’s very difficult for people who are successful to remain humble. It’s a touch of greatness. Sean always had that greatness.”

*This article was first published in the book, LOCAL HEROES: A CELEBRATION OF SLIGO SPORT by Jim Gray and Leo Gray.

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers will travel to St Colman’s Park, Cobh on Saturday for the final away game of the Women’s Premier Division (WPD) this season where they will tackle Cork City and Conor O’Grady will renew acquaintances with Cork City manager Danny Murphy.

Following the departure from the Showgrounds of manager Tommy Hewitt earlier this week, Head of Academy Conor O’Grady will be on sideline duty for the Bit O’Red.

His opposite number will be Danny Murphy and they both played for Cork City between 2001 and 2004. 

Conor subsequently returned to Sligo Rovers for the 2005 season and was part of the First Division-winning team that year as the Bit O’Red claimed a place in the Premier after a gap of six seasons.

“I was really looking forward to returning to Turner’s Cross, but with a First Division game there on Friday night, our game has been transferred to Cobh as a precaution in the event of bad weather,” commented Conor O’Grady.

“Nevertheless, we are all looking forward to the game and I have already taken the team for three games this season while Tommy (Hewitt) was serving a suspension.

“We have a few injury concerns in relation to Muireann Devaney and Paula McGrory, but Keeva Flynn could be available after missing the draw last weekend and Anna McDaniel is not available.

“If the team can perform to the same level they managed last week against Peamount Utd then we definitely have a chance of getting that first league win of the season, but Cork will be keen to complete their campaign with a win also.

“It will be competitive and it will be another big challenge, but I have no doubt that the players will be ready for the challenge,” he added.

Cork City currently occupy eighth position and following last Saturday’s narrow home reversal against DLR Waves, to a first-half penalty, they will be focused on finishing the season with a victory against bottom-of-the-table Sligo Rovers.

The Munster women recorded a 1-0 victory against Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds last April with a 49^th minute Colleen Kennedy-O’Connell goal.

Sligo Rovers had dominated the first 45 minutes of that game although Kennedy-O’Connell went closest to breaking the deadlock, but her effort was spectacularly cleared off the line by Keeva Flynn.

Sligo Rovers substitute Cara King was denied a second-half equaliser when she brought a finger-tip save out of Cork City ‘keeper Clodagh Fitzgerald.

Seven of that starting Cork City 11 featured against DLR Waves last weekend and while the points are fairly irrelevant in terms of finishing positions, both teams will target this as a must-win game with Sligo Rovers still chasing an elusive first WPD victory of the season.

Both teams exited the Women’s FAI Cup at the semi-final stage a fortnight ago with Shelbourne defeating Cork City by 5-0 at Tolka Park while Athlone Town had to work hard for a 1-0 victory against Sligo Rovers.

That performance by the Bit O’Red was sandwiched by impressive draws against Shamrock Rovers (1-1) at Tallaght Stadium, a feat also achieved by Cork City, and a 1-1 draw last weekend against defending champions Peamount Utd.

What was significant in both those games for Sligo Rovers was that despite the concession of early goals, a determined effort produced late equalisers in each instance from Keri Loughrey and Muireann Devaney.

There certainly won’t be any end-of-season attitude adopted by either side on Saturday and a hugely competitive encounter is anticipated.

The game will be live on LOITV with kick-off at 7pm

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to confirm that Connor Malley has signed a one year extension to his current deal, extending his contract to the end of the 2025 season. 

Described by Rovers boss John Russell as the league’s ‘most complete’ midfielder, Malley has played a huge part in a season which sees the Bit O’Red sit within touching distance of the top three going into the final handful of games.

Signed from Dundalk last December, Malley made his debut on the opening night of the season, away to Bohs at Dalymount Park and has largely been a mainstay of the midfield alongside Ellis Chapman and Niall Morahan. The 24-year-old has to date played 32 times for the club this year, scoring twice. 

“I’m over the moon to get the deal done”, Malley says. “I’ve really enjoyed my time at the Showgrounds this year and to sign on again was a no-brainer.

“I am very grateful to be part of this special club this season. The connection between the club, the players and the fans is totally unique and brings out the best in a very young but hugely talented squad. 

“It’s been a hugely positive year both for myself and the team. Now we have to focus on the remaining four games to really make this season a successful one. 

“I just want to keep improving under John and Ryan (Casey), impressing and enjoying my time here at Rovers.”   

Speaking on Tuesday, manager Russell praised Malley’s influence on the squad this season and spoke of his pleasure in securing one of the league’s best players for 2025. 

“For me, Connor is the most complete midfielder in the league”, Russell said. 

“He is so calm and composed on the ball and has been a huge influence on the team this year with his ability to dictate play. He has a really good mentality and is someone who wants to get better and further improve and he feels he can do that here at Rovers. 

“I feel he has become a leader within our group so I am delighted he’s signed for next season.

“We want to keep our best players at the club so this news is sure to delight our supporters.” 

David Goulden

Sligo Rovers 1-1 Peamount UTD

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers produced another battling performance as they earned a valuable Women’s Premier Division (WPD) point against defending champions Peamount Utd at the Showgrounds on Saturday evening.

Peamount dominated the opening half and were ahead at the break through Ellen Dolan, but the Bit O’Red wrestled the initiative after the resumption with Muireann Devaney’s late equaliser a merited reward for a determined team performance.

Bonnie McKiernan’s display between the posts was a vital factor also as she produced a series of stunning saves throughout the 90 minutes.

However, the turning point came around the hour mark when manager Tommy Hewitt sent Rachel McGoldrick into the action and her contribution was crucial as the Bit O’Red upped the tempo and left Peamount a bit frayed at the edges.

The Dublin women totally dominated the opening half with Sligo Rovers ‘keeper Bonnie McKiernan producing those saves that were crucial to limiting the Dublin side to a 1-0 interval advantage.

Inside and outside her penalty area McKiernan was almost unbeatable, but she was left exposed via a defensive lapse in the 19^th minute and Peamount’s Ellen Dolan made the most of the opportunity for the only goal of the opening half.

The Bit O’Red didn’t create any meaningful chances and Peamount were assured and poised throughout the opening 45 minutes. That surely had manager James O’Callaghan wondering why his team is so far off the pace this season.

The answers were provided in the second-half as bottom-of-the-table Sligo Rovers, without a win in the League this season, played the Dublin side off the park, with chances for Anna McDaniel, Muireann Devaney and Rachel McGoldrick as the Bit O’Red went in search of the equaliser..

That duly arrived in the 80^th minute following a period of sustained pressure with Muireann Devaney pouncing on a loose ball in the Peamount penalty area and finishing past Niamh Reid Burke.

There was also a lot of assistance from Bonnie McKiernan during that second-half as she continued to enhance her reputation between the posts as she denied Peamount on at least three further occasions and kept her side in contention.

There was a late chance for the Bit O’Red in added time when Keri Loughrey attempted to race clear from around halfway, but Peamount substitute Aoife Brophy hauled her down, a yellow card was brandished.

The Bit O’Red continue to show improved form and will now go to Cork next week aiming to deliver another spirited performance.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Alice Lillie, Cara King, Kate Nugent, Sarah Kiernan, Emma Hansberry, Muireann Devaney, Keri Loughrey, Eimear Lafferty, Katie Melly, Anna McDaniel. Subs – Rachel McGoldrick for Melly 60 mins, Jessica Casey for Lafferty 89m.

Peamount Utd – Niamh Reid-Burke; Toni Marie Ceno0, Dearbhaile Beirne, Niamh Farrelly, Ciara Maher, Karen Duggan, Chloe Moloney, Ellen Dolan, Rebecca Watkins, Jessica Fitzgerald, Freya Healy. Subs – Sophie Miranda for Ceno 51 mins, Aoife Brophy for Fitzgerald and Keri Letmon for Byrne both 81m

Referee – Paudie Hayes.

Assistant-referees – Conor Fitzgibbon, Keenan Deering.

Fourth Official – Darren Corcoran.

Sligo Rovers 0-1 Athlone Town

By Conall Collier

It wasn’t pretty as the heavyweight had to slug it out over 90 minutes against the perceived lightweight at the Showgrounds on Sunday where a cruel deflection gave Athlone Town the crucial Women’s FAI Cup semi-final winning goal against hosts Sligo Rovers.

Neither was it evident that a massive 34 points separates double-chasing Athlone Town from bottom of the table Sligo Rovers.

There was a late change foe Sligo Rovers before kick-off when Amber Hardy sustained a knock during warm up and was replaced between the posts by Bonnie McKiernan.

Two changes from last week’s draw saw Alice Lillie and Eimear Lafferty come into the starting 11 for Kate Nugent and Rachel McGoldrick.

Athlone Town looked comfortable for long periods in the game, but the Westmeath side found the going more challenging against 11 players in comparison to the last encounter when a first minute red card reduced the Bit O’Red to 10 players.

On that occasion Athlone won impressively by 5-1 in a League encounter, but today at the Showgrounds the outcome was in the balance until referee Alan Patchell ended the contest after about seven minutes of added time.

Four minutes added time was announced, but then there was a lengthy period of attention for an Athlone Town player in the 92^nd minute and in fairness to the referee he added on time that also allowed for other time-wasting tactics.

This wasn’t a spectacle of free-flowing football, but it produced further evidence of the progress that the home side has made in recent weeks – they are no longer a pushover and the players can certainly look forward to the next three games with some optimism.

Athlone had early chances from Brenda Tabe and Madison Gibson who was narrowly off target on two occasions, but they struggled to seize the initiative as Sligo Rovers settled and Keeva Flynn dictated from the back.

However, Athlone pressure was rewarded in the 32^nd minute when Shauna Brennan’s shot took a deflection off a Sligo Rovers player and flashed past Bonnie McKiernan for a 1-0 interval advantage.

Keri Loughrey had the best chances for Sligo Rovers in each half, but she just couldn’t make the breakthrough while Roisin Molloy had opportunities for Athlone, but overall the second-half was a dour battle.

Sligo Rovers lost Keeva Flynn to a head injury with about 20 minutes remaining as Athlone stood strong and progressed to a third successive decider.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Alice Lillie, Cara King, Kelsey Munroe, Keeva Flynn, Emma Hansberry, Muireann Devaney, Paula McGrory, Keri Loughrey, Eimear Lafferty, Anna McDaniel.

Subs – Rachel McGoldrick for Flynn and Kate Nugent for King both 70 mins, Katie Melly for Hansberry, Leah Kelly for McGrory and Jessica Casey for Lafferty all 80m, Sarah Kiernan for Lillie 86m,

Athlone Town – Katie Keane; Kellier Brennan, Kayleigh Shine, Shauna Brennan, Kate Slevin, Laurie Ryan, Roisin Molloy, Brenda Tabe, Madison Gibson, Emily Burke, Ciara O’Neill. Sub – Isobel Ryan for Burke 77 mins.

Referee – Alan Patchell.

Assistant-referees – Richard Storey, Fintan Butler.

Fourth Official – Aaron O’Dowd.

By Conall Collier

There are more questions than answers ahead of Sunday’s eagerly-awaited Women’s FAI Cup semi-final as Sligo Rovers prepare to host double-chasing Athlone Town, 3pm.

The main question, and the only relevant one, relates to the identity of which Sligo Rovers team will turn up?

Will it be the team that ran Shamrock Rovers ragged at Tallaght Stadium last Saturday or will it be the team that was run ragged by Shelbourne in a midweek mauling at the Showgrounds?

Leaving that to one side for a moment, there are many intriguing statistics around both teams.

This will be a 77th competitive game for the Bit O’Red since the club affiliated a senior team in 2022 – that incorporates fixtures played in the League, the FAI Cup and Avenir Sports Cup, there was a walkover against Douglas Hall in 2022 that’s excluded.

Katie Melly and Paula McGrory played in the first game against Peamount Utd in 2022 and are on the panel for Sunday.

Casey Howe and Amy Mahon (goalkeeper) played with Sligo Rovers last season and moved to Athlone Town for this season while Muireann Devaney moved in the opposite direction.

That still leaves Sligo woman Roisin Molloy leading the charge for goals for the Westmeath side along with  Brenda Erika Tabe while Sligo Rovers will be without the injured Jodie Loughrey.

Top goalscorer Emma Dohery left Sligo Rovers at the mid-season break and moved to Galway while Kelly Crompton and Zoe McGlynn also exited.

Those departures, for whatever reasons, impacted the balance of the team that was trying to adjust to new players and a new manager after Steve Feeney stepped away at the end of last season.

Add in the vital statistic that Sligo Rovers have not beaten Athlone Town since they joined the League of Ireland in 2022 and it all points to a comfortable stroll in the park for the team formerly managed by Bit O’Red boss Tommy Hewitt and now with Ciaran Kilduff in the hot seat.

This will be the fourth game for Sligo Rovers against Athlone this season, two in the League and one in the Avenir Sports Cup.

Sligo Rovers lost 2-0 in League in May and lost 2-1 in the Avenir Sports Cup in April with Muireann Devaney scoring the goal against her former club.

Athlone won 5-1 most recently, but Sligo Rovers had goalkeeper Bonnie McKiernan sent off after 60 seconds. She collided with former Sligo Rovers player Casey Howe as she raced out of her penalty area – both players were injured in the collision.

Tackling Athlone with 10 players for 90 minutes was only going to produce one result as goals from Roisin Molloy (two), Kerry Brown and the impressive Brenda Erika Tabe gave the hosts a comfortable victory.

However, it was a commendable display from the Bit O’red on the day with Anna McDaniel showing remarkable composure for her goal with 20 minutes remaining. Athlone’s fifth goal was a 90^th minute penalty.

And it’s that performance in defeat, coupled with the display at Tallaght Stadium last Saturday that will give the Sligo Rovers players sufficient reasons for optimism as they face into what could best be described as a ‘mission impossible’ where the outcome could once more demonstrate the unpredictability of sport.

PATHS TO THE SEMI-FINAL

FIRST ROUND

Sligo Rovers defeated Terenure Rangers 5-0 in the first round at the Showgrounds

Paula McGrory (two), Keri Loughrey, Jodie Loughrey and Rebecca Doddy scored the goals.

Athlone Town received a bye as holders.

QUARTER-FINALS

Sligo Rovers defeated DLR Waves 3-1 away.

Anna McDaniel, Kelsey Munroe and Paula McGrory scored the goals.

Athlone Town defeated Treaty Utd 2-1 away.

Brenda Erika Tabe and Kerry Brown scored the goals.

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers manager Tommy Hewitt is adopting a pragmatic approach ahead of Sunday’s Women’s FAI Cup semi-final against his former club, Athlone Town at the Showgrounds.

For Sligo Rovers this really is David versus Goliath or in footballing terms, bottom of the table against top of the table, a gap of 34 points between the sides with Athlone Town in the driving seat to win the Women’s Premier Division title.

That’s not in any way over-hyping the Westmeath side – and they will quietly have ambitions of completing a League and Cup double.

So, in real terms, is there any point in Sligo Rovers even turning up on Sunday?

After all, Sligo Rovers have failed to beat Athlone this season, last season ot the season before, and the Sligo Rovers manager was at the Athlone helm for the majority of those games, until a vacancy occurred at Athlone Town Stadium midway through last season.

Ciaran Kilduff took over the reins, his first game in charge was against Sligo Rovers, and he finished the job that Tommy Hewitt started with an FAI Cup final win at the end of last season.

Athlone Town defeated Sligo Rovers at the same stage of the competition last season.

“Athlone will rightly be overwhelming favourites on Sunday, but I know that the Sligo Rovers players can put in a performance that they will be happy with,” commented the Bit O’Red boss.

“We had three hard games in seven days last week and we were better in the third game despite losing the first two and conceding eight goals.

“We now can go into the Cup semi-final knowing that we can compete, but we have to bring consistency to our performances, once we do that we will have a chance.

“We definitely won’t lie down and roll over and hopefully we will make a contest out of it.

“I’ve been here before, that was as an underdog with Athlone in a Cup semi-final against Wexford and we won that day. A repeat of that now with Sligo Rovers would be a brilliant outcome.

“I have seen massive improvements since the start of the season and this is a free hit for us, we have nothing to lose and we really need to get a result against Athlone,” he added.

There are reasons for optimism ahead of Sunday’s encounter, one being the inclusion of both Keeva Flynn and Muireann Devaney in the League of Ireland team-of-the-week selection.

For a team that’s still looking for a first League win of the season to have the youngest centre-back in the Women’s Premier Division recognised is certainly overdue at this stage.

And the performance against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium last Saturday now gives the manager a new kind of headache as he explained.

“A problem I have now is what team will I pick, it’s a good problem to have and the young players have put their hands up to start on Sunday in what is the biggest game of the season, so far,” he explained.

“We have to get the basics right and make it difficult for Athlone, if we can do that and stay in the game, then we will be in with a chance.

“When we conceded that early goal last week at Tallaght Stadium I felt that our reaction was superb, we certainly didn’t panic and Paula (McGrory) had a great chance of an equaliser about a minute later.

“It was a dogged performance in one sense, but we also played some very good football.

“One of my main targets initially was to improve our game from a physical aspect, that we wouldn’t be pushed off the ball or intimidated by the opposition.

“It’s quite obvious from our position in the League that all the other teams are better than us, up to now anyway, and to counter that we have to raise our performance in every game for 90 minutes.

“I got the feeling at Tallaght last Saturday, just standing on the sideline and watching the game, that we were actually going to get something out of it.

“I know that we gave away some chances, but we defended well and Bonnie (McKiernan) made some very good saves.

“We eventually got the equaliser with about three minutes remaining and then we almost won it.

“We were after losing twice in the previous five days and then to go to Tallaght and get the result we got just shows the character and determination of the players.

“If we can repeat that in the Showgrounds on Sunday, then we will definitely have a chance of causing an upset and hopefully we will have Emma (Hansberry) available again because she brings a lot of experience to the team,” he concluded.

By Conall Collier

Living almost in the shadow, or even the mist, of the famous Glencar Waterfall, Muireann Devaney has her focus set solely this week on the build up to Sunday’s Women’s FAI Cup semi-final at the Showgrounds where Sligo Rovers will take on her former club, Athlone Town.

Muireann returned to the Bit O’Red this year after three seasons with Athlone Town, she previously played at u-17 level for Sligo Rovers in 2019 and 2020 and was player of the year in 2020 and she also has appearances for the Republic of Ireland under-19s to her credit.

However, on Sunday the Leitrim woman will emerge from the home dressing room whereas 12 months ago it was the away dressing room as she helped Athlone Town to victory against her home town club.

She combines her role with Sligo Rovers along with Leitrim GAA footballers and apart from the FAI Cup medal shoe won with Athlone last year, she has enjoyed success already this year.

Muireann has Connacht and All-Ireland GAA medals in the locker after a great year with Leitrim and she would be thrilled to add another FAI Cup medal to go with the one that she collected last season.

“I had three great seasons with Athlone, Tommy (Hewitt) was the manager, but I always wanted to come back to Sligo at some stage, and I felt that this season was the right time to do it as the travelling for training was significant, it was two hours to Athlone, each way, and I also wanted to give the GAA with Leitrim another shot,” she explained.

“I think Tommy is going to bring Sligo Rovers on in leaps and bounds, but we will be underdogs against Athlone, they will be expecting to get another comfortable victory.

“However, you saw a few weeks ago when UCD came to the Showgrounds and knocked the men out of the FAI Cup, you always have to expect the unexpected and this weekend could be our chance,” she added.

Muireann was delighted to have the chance to combine playing for Leitrim and for Sligo Rovers this year and also suggested the GAA can toughen you up for the physicality of the Women’s Premier Division.

“I played GAA for Glencar / Manorhamilton and then the soccer was with Manor Rangers, I was selected for the Sligo / Leitrim Gaynor Cup team and I also featured in the Connacht interprovincials before linking up with Sligo Rovers,” she said.

“That’s how I got started, but there are only two soccer clubs in Leitrim, Manor Rangers and Carrick Town, Niall Morahan’s club and he has made a big impact at Sligo Rovers, that’s my intention now as well.

“The standard in the Women’s Premier Division this season has continued to improve from last year and the year before, that’s quite easy to substantiate when you see the clubs in England regularly recruiting the best players here.

“They wouldn’t be doing something like that just because they like us, it’s down to the quality of the players at adult level and that’s a credit to what is going on at academy level around the country,” she suggested.

Apart from playing Gaelic football and soccer, Muireann is studying at the University of Galway (formerly NUI Galway) where she has completed three years of a four-year Ag Science course (Level 8 Bachelor of Science) and she lives with a number of Athlone Town players while in Galway.

“I’m studying Ag Science in Galway, I’m in my third year so I will finish in 2025, I’m staying with some of the girls, Shauna Brennan and Kate Slevin, who are on the Athlone team so that will make for some interesting discussions this week anyway,” she commented..

“I can’t wait for the game on Sunday, it’s a semi-final, we are one game away from the final and anything is possible, anything can happen.

“We played them (Athlone) a few weeks ago, but Bonnie (McKiernan) was sent-off after about a minute and that really changed the game, despite that we were by no means outclassed and we scored a good goal against them.

“The performance that day demonstrated our spirit and determination and I’m quite certain that we can put it up to Athlone, they will definitely know they have been in a game after 90 minutes.

“I had a great season last year with Athlone Town, but the time was right for me to move a bit closer to home and I was delighted to have the opportunity of joining Sligo Rovers.

“I’m really looking forward to playing Athlone on Sunday and hopefully we can give it a good go, especially after our performance last Saturday at Tallaght Stadium.

“We worked hard for that late equaliser and we deserved it, what you saw in that game is the real potential of this group of players.

“Anyone looking in from the outside will see a semi-final between the team that’s top of the table and the team at the bottom of the table, that would point towards a particular result, but we won’t be too concerned about that.

“We have four points (four draws) from 17 games, but we were well in contention in many of those games and just didn’t get what we deserved for a variety of reasons, we now have this big opportunity to make a statement against Athlone Town, don’t underestimate us.

“We have had a lot of injuries, some experienced players moved on, but we are one of only four teams left in the competition at this stage, a win on Sunday and we are in the final.

“We have a young team, we finished a recent game and including myself, there were two players aged over-20, the girls from the Academy are doing very well, but it has been a steep learning curve.

“I know the threat that Athlone will pose, but I’m really looking forward to what is a huge game for everyone, it give us a platform to show that we are better than our position in the League.

“Winning the All-Ireland Intermediate final with Leitrim means that next year we will have the likes of Kerry and Dublin on the radar, that’s huge for the county and it will be a challenge for everyone involved.

“Winning an FAI Cup medal with Sligo Rovers would be a brilliant way to finish 2023 and I firmly believe that we are now only starting to see the full potential of the panel of players.

“We have already won twice in the FAI Cup this season, our target next Sunday will be to make that three wins and secure a final ticket for the first time in the club’s history,” she concluded.