Latest news with #WFAICup
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Eleanor Ryan-Doyle: Peas cup run can salvage frustrating season
Peamount United are targeting a Sports Direct Women's FAI Cup run in a bid to finish a frustrating season with some silverware but the returning Eleanor Ryan-Doyle knows they have their work cut out against cup specialists Athlone Town on Saturday. The Newcastle, Co Dublin club, who were inaugural Women's League Of Ireland champions back in 2011-12, are languishing in eighth position in the 12-team Premier Division and therefore have little choice but to throw all of their eggs in the WFAI Cup basket. They've drawn home advantage for their quarter-final tie with an Athlone side who have reached the last three cup finals, including a 2023 penalty shootout victory over current holders, Shelbourne. "The way the season has gone, we only have really the cup to play for," Ryan-Doyle told RTÉ Sport this week. "It's something that we always want to win. If it's not the league, we want to win cups. We want to win trophies all the time. "So no matter what we're playing for, we want to win. And unfortunately, this season obviously hasn't gone as planned in the league sense or the other cup. So, it is something we really, really want to win." They could scarcely have been handed a tougher last-eight task, however. Athlone are riding high in Europe this season and their pedigree in knock-out competitions is growing by the season. Ryan-Doyle, a cup winner with the Peas back in 2020 and now back in the domestic fold after a frustrating stint cross channel, is under no illusions as to the challenge her side faces on Saturday. "Athlone are at the peak at the moment, with the Champions League, they're playing in the next round for that," Ryan-Doyle remarked. "So it'll be a very tough challenge, but if we play the way we can play and obviously get the goals that we can get, it's going to be a tough battle for them against us. "The home draw is massive. We have the crowd coming to us, they have to plan on our home ground. Great pitch and hopefully, yeah, it'll be tough for them to come to Newcastle to beat us." Peamount United and Athlone Town kick off their WFAI Cup quarter-final at PRL Park, Greenogue from 5pm on Saturday.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Shels star Gargan: Rovers rematch feels like Cup final
Women's FAI Cup holders Shelbourne continue the defence of their title this weekend, and their date with rivals Shamrock Rovers is easily the plum tie of the round. Shels knocked out the Tallaght side in dramatic circumstances at the same stage last season and Reds' midfielder Jess Gargan has no problem acknowledging this Friday night kick-off represents the latest round of a brooding Dublin rivalry. "It feels massive and I think it probably stems from last year," Gargan told RTÉ Sport earlier this week. "It was a midweek game, nearly went to extra time, but we got a late goal at the end. We were down to 10 players, Pearl [Slattery] got sent off. It almost felt like a cup final – that's our memories from last year going into this week." Shelbourne have been to four straight WFAI Cup finals and are currently sitting on a 50-50 return for that run with two wins in 2022 and 2024 entwined with a pair of defeats, first in 2021 to Wexford Youths, and a 2023 loss to Athlone on penalties. However, there's something about a Shels-Rovers rematch that provokes that unique Cup feeling. Straight knockout situation. Win or go home. No grey areas here. "Even though it's a quarter final, we're probably treating it like a final. I think you have to treat every game like a final at this stage," Gargan added. "At the start of the season they have one up on us, they beat us in the league so I think we have a point to prove this week. "It's always been a tough game against Rovers, whether it's League, whether it's Cup, even the All-Island Cup last year as well, they beat us in. So, we know it's going to be a tough game, but we're really looking forward to it." Shelbourne are currently looking down at the rest from atop the league table with European heroes – and finalists in three straight Cup deciders – Athlone Town hot on their heels. That leaves some of the expected heavyweights of the Women's League Of Ireland languishing somewhat in mid-table obscurity. Peamount United, league winners in the inaugural 2011-12 season and four times overall (most recently just two season ago), currently sit in eighth position. Rovers – late to the WLOI party, but not short of financial clout – are in sixth spot. That might suggest Friday's meeting means more to the Tallaght women in terms of opportunities for silverware. But either way, it's seems increasingly clear that Shels-Rovers is becoming one of the most interesting rivalries in the women's game. Gargan, having worn the colours of both, is perfectly placed to pinpoint the rivalry's origins. "It probably stems from the fact that, when when Rovers came into the league, a good few of us went to Rovers. So that created that rivalry," Gargan explained. "Obviously, we're two Dublin teams as well, but the rivalry was created pretty soon when they came into the league. So from the get go, it was there. "To be fair, a lot of teams that play against us, for one reason or another, always want to beat us. Which is a compliment to us. Teams always show up against us as well. "We're looking forward to it. You want to be playing in these big games, games that are tight and that are going to be back and forth. "They're more exciting for us. It's better than playing against a team that sits back for 70, 80 minutes. When two teams are going at it, it's good for people to watch."
