- Paul Corcoran
- Sat, Oct 26 2019
It was the final day of the SO Hotels Women's National League on Saturday and Galway WFC managed to finish their season with a win. DLR Waves came to town but it was the home side who ran out 2-1 winners following some late drama.
Sadhbh Doyle opened the scoring at Eamonn Deacy Park in the first half and it took a long time for the visitors to find an equaliser before their captain Catherine Cronin scored a great individual effort in the second half.
The Dublin side would have been happy with a point but a late long range effort from Galway’s Tessa Mullins claimed all three points for the home side.
The ball spent most of the opening ten minutes of this game bogged down in midfield as neither side gave an inch and prevented any clear cut chance.
It took until the 13th minute for a shot to be registered on target. Aoife Walsh played a ball played the ball to Sadhbh Doyle on the right flank and the midfielder cut inside and got a shot away from just outside the box.
The effort did not have quite enough zip to it and Eve Badana made the easy save.
There was a scare for the home side five minutes later when Kerri Lettmon nodded the ball towards goal after the ball was crossed into the box. Tina Hughes just managed to slap the ball off the line, but it only went as far as Ally O’Keefe.
The defender struck the ball well put failed to find the target, sending the ball just wide of the goal.
Galway nabbed the lead in the 26th minute after winning a free-kick just on the edge of the box. Sadhbh Doyle put her boot through it and managed to beat the wall, sending the ball low and hard into the bottom corner of the goal leaving Badana no chance to make the save.
Sadhbh Doyle could have had a second in the 38th minute when De Búrca played a great ball across the field to the midfielder who was waiting just on the edge of the box.
Doyle took the ball past Niamh Prior before unleashing a shot on goal only to be denied by an excellent diving save from Badana.
Just before half time Waves almost netted an equaliser from the boot of Catherine Cronin. The attacker rifled a shot on goal from long range and the deflection off a defender almost took the ball into the top corner only for a great save by Hughes in the Galway goal.
Méabh De Búrca almost got on the scoresheet in the 56th minute when a cross field ball from Sadhbh Doyle found its way to her feet after a lovely dummy by Sinead Donovan. The midfielder struck a hard shot on goal but Badana got down once again to deny the home side.
Waves clawed their way back on level terms with Galway in the 69th minute. Cronin broke away and managed to shrug off a challenge by Leah Brady before striking the ball high and hitting the woodwork with the ball only just getting over the line.
Badana was called into action again in the 82nd minute. Sadhbh Doyle managed to skirt by the challenges of the Waves defence on the left of the box before squaring the ball to De Búrca. The midfielder took aim and struck from close range but Badana stood strong and held onto the ball.
Just three minutes later Galway claimed their victory in spectacular fashion with a screamer from the boot of Tessa Mullins.
The midfielder fancied her chances from long range and struck the shot beautifully somehow managing to beat Badana who had been in excellent form all game.
Galway WFC: Tina Hughes; Aoife Walsh, Ailbhe Clancy, Shauna Fox, Keara Cormican; Méabh De Búrca, Tessa Mullins, Sinead Donovan, Sadhbh Doyle; Aoife Thompson (Leah Brady, 36), McKenna Doyle.
Subs not used: Lynsey McKey.
Booked: Tessa Mullins (46)
DLR Waves: Eve Badana; Niamh Prior, Ally O’Keefe, Roisin McGovern; Catherine Cronin, Nadine Clare, Fiona Donnelly, Sinead Gaynor, Nicole Keogh; Kerri Letmon, Orla Casey (Aimee Maher, 90).
Subs not used: Sophie Lenehan, Katie Burdis, Sophie O’Donoghue.
Booked: None
Referee: Joe Hession
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Sadhbh Doyle (Galway WFC)
