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 89th 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 70th 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.