Match Report
By Conall Collier
Sligo Rovers are still looking for a first Women’s Premier Division (WPD) win of the season following Saturday’s reversal against Dublin side DLR Waves.
An early goal from a penalty gave DLR Waves the platform for victory and they added further goals each side of the interval an close to the end for a comfortable victory.
Five of the Sligo Rovers players, Alice Lillie, Cara King, Anna McDaniel, Jessica Casey and Rose Burke featured in last Tuesday night’s u-19 Academy Cup quarter-final away to Bohemian FC
Rebecca Doddy came in for Rachel McGoldrick in the only change from the previous week’s outing against Galway Utd
DLR Waves took the lead from that eighth minute penalty converted by Amber Cosgrove.
The Dublin women added a second goal in the 20th minute when Keelin Dodd found some space on the edge of the Sligo Rovers penalty area with her shot going in off the bottom of the crossbar.
DLR could have added a couple of more goals before the break as Abigail Brophy hit the post, Amber Hardy saved from Aisling Meehan and Leah Kelly cleared off the line with the half-time whistle a relief for the Bit O’Red.
Sligo Rovers made a positive start to the second-half and created a couple of chances, but all that was undone in the 52nd minute when a quick DLR break gave Aisling Meehan an opening for her second goal.
Sligo Rovers pushed and probed for the remainder, but were unable to make any impact on the scoreboard as Shannon Hanlon Coady added a fourth goal and were denied a fifth when Amber Hardy saved an 89th minute DLR penalty.
Sligo Rovers – Amber Hardy; Leah Kelly, Keeva Flynn, Sarah Kiernan, Alice Lillie, Muireann Devaney, Paula McGrory, Keri Loughrey, Eimear Lafferty, Rebecca Doddy, Anna McDaniel. Subs – Kelsey Munroe for Kelly, Jessica Casey for Kiernan and Cara King for Doddy all half-time, Katie Melly for McGrory 57 mins, Roise Burke for Devaney 70m.
DLR Waves – Rugile Auskainyte; Jessica Gleeson, Isobel Finnegan, Rachel Doyle, Rebecca McMahon, Nadine Seward, Abigail Brophy, Taylor White, Amber Cosgrove, Leah Donnelly, Keelin Dodd. Subs – Shannon Hanlon-Coady for Meehan and Robyn Bolger for Doyle both 57 mins, Eve Conheady for Cosgrove 72m, Nadine Raymond for White and Chloe McCarthy for McMahon both 77m.
Referee – Declan Toland.
Assistant referees – Conor Harkin, Endrit Malaveci.
Fourth Official – Richard Storey