WNL Report: Shelbourne Ladies 3 - 0 Galway WFC

Shelbourne Ladies got their Continental Tyres League Cup campaign off to a perfect start when they defeated Galway WFC for the second time in seven days at the AUL Complex.

Second-half goals from Rebecca Creagh, Siobhan Killeen and Noelle Murray saw Casey McQuillan’s side come out victors in a game played in horrific weather conditions.

It was the home side who settled quickest into the game and Killeen will feel she should have done better after latching onto a loose clearance from Galway keeper Tina Hughes, but the winger's shot from an acute angle went wide.

Galway’s Lynsey McKey was next to try her luck early on, but her shot from the left edge of the box was easily gathered by Shelbourne's Ireland under-19 international goalkeeper Amanda McQuillan.

As the midway point of the opening half approached, McQuillan was relieved to see her defenders come to her rescue after she mishit a clearance that fell to Gertie Dowd, but the forward's shot was blocked and the keeper regathered possession.

With clear cut chances hard to come by, Creagh will feel she should have done better after she headed low and wide when unopposed inside the penalty area and, moments later, Killeen unleashed a lovely effort that forced Hughes in the Galway goal into a fantastic save.

As half-time approached, Galway will feel they should have done better when both Meabh De Burca and McKey had efforts, but both failed to trouble the Shels keeper.

With less than five minutes played in the second-half, Galway’s Savannah McCarthy delivered a lovely ball into the box which De Burca failed to reach before substitute Aislinn Meaney fired over from the edge of the box.

The visiting side continued to look dangerous and Shels skipper Pearl Slattery was forced into a defensive headed clearance before,minutes later, Ellerose O’Flaherty’s tame shot was easily gathered by McQuillan in the Shels goal.

Just after the hour mark, Shelbourne had several great opportunities. First Creagh delivered a lovely weighted cross into the box, but no Shels player gambled.

Moments later a one-two from Murray and Creagh saw Murray force a fantastic save from Hughes and from resulting corner the keeper was forced to make a lovely low save to deny Jamie Finn before the ball was cleared off the line.

With twenty minutes remaining, Shels grabbed the game's opening goal. Rachel Graham played a lovely switch ball in the middle of the park to Killeen whose first time cross was headed home at the back post by Creagh, who bagged her third goal two games.

Seven minutes later, Killeen doubled her side's lead with a lovely strike from just inside the penalty area.

After being beaten for the second time, the Galway keeper was then called into action again when she first denied Murray from the edge of the box with a lovely save and from the resulting corner she denied Finn again.

Despite being denied several times by the Galway keeper, Murray finally added her name to the score sheet when she fired home from 25 yards deep into injury time.

Shelbourne Ladies: Amanda McQuillan; Shauna Newman, Pearl Slattery, Niamh Walsh (Lauren Dwyer), Fiona Donnelly (Courtney Higgins); Siobhan Killeen, Rachel Graham, Jamie Finn, Sarah Rowe (Megan Lynch); Noelle Murray, Rebecca Creagh.

Subs Not used: Niamh Reid-Burke (gk), Niamh Barnes, Sophie Watters, Avril Brierley.

Booked: Creagh (88).

Galway WFC: Tina Hughes; Shauna Fox, Keara Cormican, Jenny Byrne, Chloe Moloney; Ellerose O'Flaherty (Lisa Casserly), Savannah McCarthy, Meabh De Burca, Ciara Lynch (Aoife Walsh), Lynsey McKey; Gertie Dowd (Aislinn Meaney).

Subs Not used: Anesi Daniella (gk), Therese Hartley, Sorcha Ní Bhraoináin, Caroline Carter.

Booked: None.

Extratime Player of the Match: Rebecca Creagh (Shelbourne Ladies).