BY CONALL COLLIER

Top-of-the-table hosts Athlone Town took the Women’s Premier Division (WPD) points against a Sligo Rovers side that was reduced to 10 players in the opening minute on Saturday night.

Early first-half Athlone Town goals from Rosin Molloy and Brenda Ebika Tabe were augmented by a second Molloy goal soon after the resumption, a fine Kerry-Anne Brown strike on the hour and an 89^th minute Jesi Lynn Rossman penalty that completed the tally.

Against the odds, a young Sligo Rovers enjoyed some good spells in the game and substitute Anna McDaniel’s super 70^th minute strike was a real reward for the overall efforts of the 10 players.

However, the pattern of this game was set after only 60 seconds when Bit O’Red goalkeeper Bonnie McKiernan was red-carded by referee Glen Geraghty following a challenge outside her penalty area that looked like a clash of heads with Athlone Town’s Casey Howe.

The former teammates at the Showgrounds last season were both assisted from the pitch after a lengthy stoppage.

When play resumed with an Athlone free, Sligo Rovers manager Tommy Hewitt had to withdraw Paula McGrory with Amber Hardy taking over between the posts.

That left a depleted Bit O’Red side facing into 89 minutes of a rear-guard action against possibly the best team in the WPD at the moment as the Westmeath women vie for supremacy with joint-leaders Shelbourne ahead of next Saturday’s visit to Tolka Park.

There was further censure for Sligo Rovers during the interval when manager Tommy Hewitt was red-carded following a query to the officials regarding the decision to send-off Bonnie McKiernan in the opening minute. That gave coach Brendan Fitzsimons the managerial bib for the second-half.

Athlone Town dominated for the most part and were certainly worthy of a four-goal winning margin that would have been substantially greater without the performance of substitute goalkeeper Amber Hardy who drew gasps of admiration from supporters with some spectacular saves.

The nine outfield players also produced excellent performances in what would have been a rapid learning experience in a challenging environment.

The Bit O’Red just couldn’t cope with the surging runs down the wing of player-of-the-match Rosin Molloy who scored in each half and made the opening for her side’s fourth goal as Athlone probed and pushed in an effort to improve goal difference.

Sligo Rovers will host Treaty Utd next Sunday at the Showgrounds with a 2pm kick-off.

Athlone Town – Katie Keane; Kellie Brennan, Kayleigh Shine, Shauna Brennan, Jesi Lynn Rossman, Rosin Molloy, Emily Burke, Laurie Ryan, Kerry-Anne Brown, Casey Howe, Madison Gibson.

Subs – Brenda Ebika Tebe for Howe one minute, Taylor Anderson for Burke and Hazel Donegan for Brown both 62m, Aoife Murphy-O’Connor for Molloy and Isabel Ryan for Gibson both 81m.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Keeva Flynn, Yvonne Hedigan, Kelsey Munroe, Alice Lillie, Muireann Devaney, Keri Loughrey, Paula McGrory, Jodie Loughrey, Rachel McGoldrick, Mairead McIntyre.

Subs – Amber Hardy for McGrory one minute, Leah Kelly for McIntyre and Kate Nugent for Hedigan both half-time, Sarah Kiernan for Munroe 59m, Anna McDaniel for McGoldrick and Jessica Casey for Lillie both 68m.

Referee – Glen Geraghty.

Assistant-referees – Dylan Redmond, John Hanney.

Fourth Official – Oliver Moran.

Sligo Rovers made it four wins from five in all competitions as they saw off league leaders Shelbourne at the Showgrounds. 

A win for Damien Duff’s side would have sent the Tolka outfit five points clear with a game extra to play. But the Bit O’Red had different plans as goals from Will Fitzgerald and Wilson Waweru either side of an Evan Caffrey strike gave Rovers their eleventh league win of the season, sending them level on points with third placed Waterford. 

Looking for their fifth home win on the spin, Rovers were forced into one change with Jack Henry-Francis handed his first start since his summer move on loan from Arsenal. The Londoner replacing Conor Malley who picked up a knock late on in the defeat to St Pat’s last Sunday. 

The hosts were also without manager John Russell who watched the game from a small press box in the Treacy Avenue stand. The Galway man was serving the first of his three match ban following a red card handed to him by referee Rob Hennessy in injury time in that game against the Saints. 

The visitors began life without top-scorer Will Jarvis who returned to parent club Hull City this week, following a shock recall to the Tigers. Damien Duff made three changes to his outfit which played out that less than inspiring scoreless draw with Derry City on Monday last. Jarvis, Shane Griffin and John Martin stepping out in place of Caffrey, Ali Coote and Paddy Barrett. 

Shels started this one on the front foot with an early Harry Wood set piece deflected wide by the Rovers wall. While Caffrey hacked an effort from the edge of the area six minutes in. 

Shels’ goalkeeper Conor Kearns showed some rustiness early on when he was sloppy in coming to deal with a JR Wilson set-piece on 18 minutes. The ball falling to Henry-Francis who fired Rovers’ first warning shot of the night narrowly over. 

Rovers then made the most of poor judgement in the Shels rearguard on 24 minutes. Sam Bone’s pass across the face of his own goal was easily cut out by Fitzgerald who steadied himself before finding the bottom corner of Kearns’ goal. 

Paddy Barrett’s innocuous header from a Wood free-kick was easily held by McGinty before the break, while Henry-Francis again threatened early in the second period. The Irish underage international sweeping an effort on the half volley over the bar from 19 yards. 

The Drumcondra men levelled proceedings in dubious circumstances on 56. 

There was more than a hint of offside when Caffrey ran free of the last Sligo man to pick up Wood’s through ball. Referee David Dunne and his assistant Shane O’Brien on that side, saw nothing wrong with the timing of the run however as Caffrey kept his cool to slot past the oncoming McGinty. 

Parity lasted just ten minutes. Kearns and a handful of his defenders somehow managed to keep out substitute Luke Pearce’s initial drive at goal, but could do little about the quick reactions of Waweru who fired into the net on the follow up from five yards out for his eighth goal of the year. 

Duff reacted to this set-back by introducing Martin, Rayhaan Tulloch and Matty Smith from his reserves all at once as the Dubliners pressed high. But the closest Shels came to a second was two minutes from time when Liam Burt hammered well over from the angle during a tense finish.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; JR Wilson, Nando Pijnaker, Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson; Jack Henry-Francis (Luke Pearce 63), Niall Morahan, Ellis Chapman; Will Fitzgerald, Stephen Mallon (Owen Elding 72); Wilson Waweru (Kailin Barlow 81).

Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Sean Gannon, Sam Bone (John Martin 73), Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge (Tyrieke Wilson 63); Mark Coyle, JJ Lunney; Harry Wood (Mark Isong 87), Ali Coote (Rayhaan Tulloch 73), Evan Caffrey (Matty Smith 73); Liam Burt. 

Referee: David Dunne. 

Attendance: 3,056

David Goulden

Sligo Rovers face into their final ten league games of the season, beginning this Saturday evening with the visit of table-toppers Shelbourne to the Showgrounds, kick-off 7.45pm.

Rovers will look to return to winning ways following a late defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic in Dublin last Sunday. The Bit O’Red had won all five of their previous games before the trip to Pat’s.

Rovers will be led from the dugout by assistant manager Ryan Casey as John Russell serves the first of a three match ban, following a red card shown to him by referee Rob Hennessy in injury time during that defeat to the Saints. Russell will also miss subsequent games with UCD and Drogheda.   

Conor Reynolds and John Mahon miss out with long-term injuries. While both Simon Power and Connor Malley will be monitored in the lead up to Saturday. 

Power sustained a knock the day before the Pat’s game and it is hoped that should he not make this weekend’s game, he will be recovered in time for Saturday week’s visit of UCD in the FAI Cup. 

While Malley will also be assessed closer to game time after the midfielder was injured in that game at Richmond Park.

Stefan Radosavljevic returned to light training this week and will also face a fitness test. 

Speaking ahead of what will be a huge match at the Showgrounds, boss Russell says that although his side were left reeling after last weekend’s late drama, Rovers are looking to bounce back immediately. 

“What happened in Inchicore was disappointing but I was really enthused by our performance. We brought the game to Pat’s and were extremely unfortunate not to take at least a point, which would have been wholly deserved”, he said.

“We want to bring the positives from that game straight into this one. We are still in great form at the moment and we see the Pat’s defeat as a blip. I was really proud of the players last week and even more proud of the reaction we got in training this week. You can see the players are really keen to get out there on Saturday in front of what should be a big crowd and put last weekend behind them.

Both sides have beaten the other this season, with Damien Duff’s outfit narrowly beating Rovers at the Showgrounds on the opening weekend of March. While Rovers picked up a great win over the title-chasers on the final day of May at Tolka Park. Russell is expecting another closely fought contest on Saturday.

“Like with most games in this league, our recent games with Shels have been tight. We’re expecting it to be tough on Saturday as Shels will be chasing the win but we know we’re a match for anyone in this league now. We’ve shown in recent weeks that when we click, we are a force at any stage in any match. 

“Shels have been the best team this season going by their place on the table. But we’re not a million miles off them and we are very much still in the mix for a decent finish. We are looking to end the season as strong as we can.” 

David Goulden

ATHLONE TOWN v SLIGO ROVERS

BY CONALL COLLIER

Seven days on from a first win of the season, Sligo Rovers will travel to tackle joint-top of the Women’s Premier Division (WPD) Athlone Town on Saturday evening, 7.30pm.

For Bit O’Red manager Tommy Hewitt it will almost feel like a home game as he returns to the venue where he patrolled the side-lines for the Westmeath club as he guided the fortunes of Athlone Town and also scooped the 2022 manager-of-the-year accolade.

Now, more than halfway through his initial season in the Sligo Rovers hot seat, Hewitt’s belief in his players was vindicated last Saturday at the Showgrounds when a well-regarded Terenure Rangers side was confidently negotiated in the first round of the Women’s FAI Cup.

Not that Sligo Rovers can expect to glean much praise for the 5-0 victory, but it was, nevertheless, an important step in the development process of what is, essentially, a very young team.

Hewitt was full of praise for his players in the previous WPD game despite a one-goal defeat at Dalymount Park against Bohemian FC a fortnight ago and will be looking for that type of character and commitment again.

Saturday’s encounter against Athlone Town will be a third successive outing for the Bit O’Red following what has been a somewhat fragmented fixture list this season and consistent competitive action will surely prove beneficial.

Last weekend Athlone Town, as holders, had a bye in the first round of the Women’s FAI Cup and will host the Bit O’Red on the back of a 2-1 reversal against Peamount Utd in front of the TG4 cameras a fortnight ago.

This will be a second visit of the  season to Athlone Town following a 2-1 April reversal in the Avenir Sports Cup where, despite trailing by two goals at the interval, a 75^th minute Muireann Devaney goal saw Sligo Rovers finish on the front foot, but unable to get an equaliser.

Sligo Rovers lost (2-0) in a WPD game during May at the Showgrounds where a goal in each half from former player Casey Howe proved crucial for Athlone.

However, Bit O’Red claims for a penalty in that game were waved away by the referee after Keri Loughrey was impeded as she raced towards the Athlone penalty area and got a touch on the ball ahead of ‘keeper Katie Keane’s lunge, but the chance was gone.

Athlone will target a return to winning ways while the Bit O’Red will be aiming to add to last weekend’s victory and take something home from the game.

Kick-off at Athlone Town Stadium is at 7.30pm and the action will be live on LOITV.

Sligo Rovers can confirm the club has contacted the Football Association of Ireland over the officiating in yesterday’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division game with St Patrick’s Athletic. 

Referees and match officials are integral to our game at all levels and as a club we feel it is vital we keep the principle of respect and cooperation.   

While we maintain that outlook, the club has expressed our frustrations around decisions made during yesterday’s match and the potential impact of such events on our season. 

We now move on and prepare for our next game with Shelbourne.

St Patrick’s Athletic scored a late, late injury time winner as Sligo Rovers’ Premier Division winning run came to an end at Richmond Park in controversial circumstances. 

A stunning, long range strike from Connor Malley had Rovers in the lead on 22 minutes, before former Red Aidan Keena levelled the game from the penalty spot four minutes later, after the Saints were awarded a dubious spot-kick. 

Rovers went ahead again shortly after the break when Ellis Chapman nodded Will Fitzgerald’s cross past Pat’s net minder Joseph Anang.Brandon Kavanagh restored parity on 65 minutes with a strike from distance. 

Both sides struck the other’s woodwork in the lead up to a dramatic finish. 

The Bit O’Red looked like they would take a well earned point from Dublin, before referee Rob Hennessy decided he had spotted an infringement between Chapman and Pat’s Luke Turner who seemed to throw himself to the floor inside Ed McGinty’s penalty area.

Kavanagh slotted home from the spot in the ninth of five added minutes, to see Rovers beaten for the first time in five games in all competitions.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Axel Sjoberg, Joe Redmond, Luke Turner, Al-Amin Kazeem (Anto Breslin 60); Chris Forrester (Mason Melia 67), Jamie Lennon; Kian Leavy, Romal Palmer (Brandon Kavanagh 60), Jake Mulraney (Aaron Bolger 77); Aidan Keena (Zack Elbousedi 67).

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; John Ross Wilson, Oliver Denham, Nando Pijnaker, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan (Jack Henry-Francis 86); Stephen Mallon (Owen Elding 86), Ellis Chapman, Connor Malley (Kailin Barlow 90+7), Will Fitzgerald; Wilson Waweru (Luke Pearce 77).

Referee: Rob Hennessy.

MATCH REPORT WFAI CUP

BY CONALL COLLIER

SLIGO ROVERS 5-0 TERENURE RANGERS

Sligo Rovers negotiated the challenge of Terenure Rangers in the first round of the Women’s FAI Cup at the Showgrounds on Saturday with a five-goal salvo that gave Tommy Hewitt’s side a first competitive win of the season.

First-half goals from Paula McGrory (two) were augmented by further strikes from Jodie and Keri Loughrey and Rebecca Doddy after the break to seal a comprehensive win.

The formbook indicated that this was the best team outside the League of Ireland against the bottom side in the Women’s Premier Division (WPD).

Terenure Rangers came into the game on the back of an impressive 2-1 victory six days earlier in the final of the FAI Amateur Cup against Whitehall Rangers as they retained the trophy won 12 months earlier.

Sligo Rovers kicked-off without a competitive win in either the WPD this season or the Avenir Sports All-Island Cup.

Last season the Dublin women faced Cork City in the competition, but lost out in that encounter at Richmond Park while Sligo Rovers made it to the last four where they exited against eventual winners, Athlone Town.

Sligo Rovers dominated the opening half, but squandered a number of early chances before Paula McGrory broke the deadlock with a fine finish on 20 minutes.

Soon after McGrory was narrowly wide following a good cross from Leah Kelly, but then the Bit O’Red displayed some complacency for a brief spell and were fortunate to keep the lead intact when Yvonne Hedigan had to scramble the ball off the line.

The chance for Terenure was created more by poor defensive play by the hosts who were extremely relieved not to concede an equaliser although Sarah Ryan and Caroline Thorpe were a constant threat for the Dublin women.

However, that reprieve appeared to spark the hosts into action and following a sustained period of pressure a claim for a penalty was waved away by the referee.

The official stopped play to allow Leah Kelly receive some attention in the Terenure penalty area and the hosts then finished the half on a high when McGrory made space and finished to the net for a 2-0 interval advantage.

Terenure resumed smartly for the second-half and Sarah Ryan had an excellent chance to reduce the deficit in the 47^th minute, but was wide of the target. The same player had a couple of other chances for Terenure, but despite her best efforts was unable to find the net.

The Bit O’Red remained in the ascendancy and added a third goal with a superb Jodie Loughrey effort after Paula McGrory’s persistence to keep the ball in play was rewarded and Keri Loughrey made it 4-0 with a lob from about 30 metres following a quick counter attack.

Substitute Katie Melly was denied by the post on 72 minutes soon after Rebecca Doddy and Mairead McIntyre combined to create an opening.

Terenure substitute goalkeeper Liv Torfeldt had a hectic final seven minutes during which she made some spectacular saves, but she was beaten in the 90^th minute when Doddy finished from close range to make it 5-0 for the hosts.

Sligo Rovers – Amber Hardy; Yvonne Hedigan, Keeva Flynn, Kelsey Munroe, Sarah Kiernan, Alice Lillie, Keri Loughrey, Leah Kelly, Jodie Loughrey, Paula McGrory, Mairead McIntyre. 

Subs – Kate Nugent for Hedigan and Rachel McGOldrick for Kiernan both half-time, Rebecca Doddy for Kelly and Cara King for Munroe both 60 mins, Katie Melly for McGrory 72m

Terenure Rangers – Niamh Geraghty; Leanne Dicker, Niamh O’Donoghue, Jessica Hunt, Kerri Duffy, Caroline Thorpe, Linda Douglas, Niamh Carroll, Sarah Ryan, Caroline Healy, Melissa Haughton. 

Subs – Lydia Kavanagh for Carroll 64 mins, Louise Gleeson for Healy 72m, Anna McGilacuddy for O’Donoghue and Liv Torfeldt for Geraghty both 83m

Referee – Robert Dowling

Assistant-referees – Darren Corcoran, Keenan Deering.

Fourth Official – Richard Storey.

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers will seek a place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s FAI Cup this Saturday as they host Dublin’s Terenure Rangers at the Showgrounds, with kick-off at 3pm.

Terenure Rangers arrive with strong confidence following their 2-1 victory in the Women’s FAI Amateur Cup final last Sunday, where they defeated Whitehall Rangers at the Belfield Bowl. This win secured back-to-back cup triumphs for Terenure, making them the first team to retain the trophy.

Sligo Rovers made a solid start at this stage of the competition last season with a comfortable win over Donegal’s Bonagee Utd at the Showgrounds. Conversely, Terenure’s 5-0 defeat to Cork City in the same round last year at Richmond Park was somewhat misleading, as Cork City scored the final three goals late in the game.

Terenure enters this match in excellent form, having secured victories over Home Farm (4-0), Marks Celtic (11-1), Killester/Donnycarney (4-2), and Douglas Hall (6-2) leading up to their recent cup win.

Terenure manager Caroline Kelly and her team—Paula Hamilton, Robert Fitzgerald, Alan Moore, and Ciara Smith—have carefully reviewed Sligo Rovers’ recent performances against Peamount Utd and Bohemian FC. Despite making five enforced changes in their last match, Sligo Rovers will benefit from the return of key players like Yvonne Hedigan and Keeva Flynn, which could strengthen their defence.

Although Sligo Rovers have struggled with scoring this season, they have consistently created chances. Facing a team from outside the Women’s Premier Division might be the catalyst they need for their first win of the season.

With Terenure Rangers in impressive form and aiming for victory, an exciting and closely contested 90 minutes is expected at the Showgrounds.