03-05-2025
Women's Premier Division: Champions Athlone with statement win against Galway
Athlone Town put on a champions display away to Galway United to take the spoils in a titanic tussle between two sides who had yet to taste defeat prior to today's SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division clash.
Goals from Isabel Ryan finish, Madie Gibson and a Shauna Brennan "ghost" goal"set the ruthless title holders on their way as they battled to a massive three points.
In doing so Athlone Town regained their place at the summit following Shelbourne's victory earlier in the day and put last week's surprising Avenir All-Ireland Cup defeat to Glentoran firmly to bed.
The visitors wasted no time taking the lead. Kelly Brady had fired a warning shot to the home side with a couple of minutes played, cutting inside on her left and letting fly a rocket that sailed over and in the sixth minute got in front with a well-worked move down the left.
Katie Sullivan burst down the wing and played a pinpoint cross to the back post finding Ryan at the back post, who coolly finished from close range.
Clearly in no mood to mess about, Colin Fortune's side almost doubled their lead moments later when skipper Izzy Groves was inches away from the bottom corner with a smashing low strike from just outside the area.
The waves of white continued to flow forward and the second did come just after 20 minutes played with the irresistible Madie Gibson doing a "Katie McCabe" scoring direct from an inswinging corner following a bout of serious pressure - although Sullivan got her head to the ball with it already having crossed the line.
Phil Trill's side proved a thorn in the Athlone sides title run last season, being the only team that the Westmeath side failed to overcome, but the hosts struggled to contain the relentless Gibson who turned Therese Kinnevey inside out on a couple of occasions in quick succession but both time saw her near post efforts narrowly miss the top corner.
The Galway boss had seen enough and with just a half hour played looked to his bench, introducing Rola Olusola for Ceola Bergin in a bid to stem the flow with a slight tactical tweak.
And although the home side battled bravely, the change didn't have time to have the desired effect as The Town made it three less than 10 minutes later with a controversial Brennan thunderbolt that didn't cross the line.
⌛ 38 nóim #GALvATH @GalwayUnitedFC - 0 @AthloneTownAFC - 3
Cúl conspóideach do Baile Átha Luain 😬
Cad a cheapann tú féin?
Do you think this goal should have stood? 🤔
Beo anois ar @TG4TV - Bí linn! 📺 @LoiWomen @LeagueofIreland #WPD
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) May 3, 2025
The left-footed strike aimed at the top corner was tipped onto the crossbar by Jayne Merren and came down on to the post before bouncing out to safety. The officials however deemed that the ball crossed the line and gave the goal much to both sides disbelief.
With a combination of nothing to lose and probably feeling some injustice from the third goal being given, Galway came flying out of the traps after the break, nearly scoring from a corner of their own only for Maria Matthaiou to push past the far post at the last second.
The Cypriot stopper was called into action again on the hour mark when she showed tremendous agility to tip over Aoibheann Costello's long range effort that looked to be dipping just under the bar.
With a feisty edge expected from two sides eyeing up the big prize, the game continued at breathtaking pace and it was the home who really should have got the goal that would have set up a grandstand finish.
Another devilish inswing corner, this time from the left, beat everyone and fell to the back post where Amanda Smith could only bundle the ball onto the post from a yard out.
To their credit the home side did not drop their heads as they continued to try desperately to take some shine off the scoreline but Athlone proved just too strong in the remaining minutes to take three points back to the midlands.
Galway United: Jayne Merren; Therese Kinnevey (Rachel Kearns, 73'), Eve Dossen, Lucy Grant, Aoibheann Costello; Kate Thompson, Isabella Beletic, Abbie Callanan (Ava Mullins, 63'), Heather Loomes (Amanda Smith, 46'); Ceola Bergin (Rola Olusola, 31') , Emma Doherty
Subs not used: Nicole Nix, Jodie Griffin, Emma Duffy, Emily Fitzgerald
Athlone Town: Maria Matthaiou; Kellie Brennan, Kayleigh Shine, Natalie McNally, Shauna Brennan; Izzy Groves, Katie Sullivan, Hannah Waesch; Isabel Ryan (Aoife O'Connor, 77'), Madison Gibson (Hazel Donegan, 85'), Kelly Brady
Subs not used: Mary-Kate Maher, Sarah Flannelly, Roisin Molloy, Ciara O'Neill, Erica Cunningham
Referee: Claire Purcell
Elsewhere, Sligo Rovers pulled off a shock against Peamount United, grinding out a 1-0 win at the Showgrounds for their first win of the season.
Anna McDaniel finished off a fine move to put the Bit O'Red ahead in the 19th minute, and they defended brilliantly thereafter to shut out the Peas.
Shelbourne kept up the pace at the top with a 3-1 win against Treaty United at Markets Field.
Rebecca Cooke put the Reds ahead in the 40th minute, volleying home from close range after Pearl Slattery had nodded the ball towards the six-yard box.
Ciara Breslin nabbed a leveller seven minutes into the second half, but Shels would not be denied. Mackenzie Anthony restored their lead in the 76th minute and then sealed the points with another goal soon after as Eoin Wearen's charges made it six wins out of seven games.
Shamrock Rovers powered past DLR Waves 4-1 at the UCD Bowl.
Emily Corbet broke the deadlock on 17 minutes with a cross that drifted into the net. An Aisling Meehan own goal on the half-hour mark had the Hoops two goals to the good.
Meehan atoned for that by halving the deficit in the 59th minute, but Joy Ralph drilled home an excellent third for Shamrock Rovers with an hour gone before wrapping it up with a fourth 16 minutes from time.
