Get out and support this Alan Finn
Maintains that a Rovers team looking to qualify for an FAI Cup decider deserves a full house at The Showgrounds this weekend
IT IS the understatement of the year to say that this Saturday is a big occasion for the Sligo Rovers senior women’s team.
The Sports Direct Women’s FAI Cup semi-final will be a moment of history for this young Rovers team as they face Athlone Town at The Showgrounds (kick-off 6pm).
With only captain Emma Hansberry having prior experience of playing in and winning FAI Women’s Cup finals, let alone contesting semi-finals, this will be new ground for the majority of the squad.
Indeed, the past two years has been all about breaking new ground for many of these players, so what’s one more milestone?
The weight of this fixture is not lost on manager Steve Feeney who is excited for what the occasion could hold for his young side who will undoubtedly be seen as underdogs against last year’s beaten finalists but have been defined by their never-saydie attitude.
“Progress in the cup is something we earmarked at the start of the season. We didn’t turn up in the quarter-final
THIS COMING Saturday will be an historic occasion for Sligo Rovers as the club’s senior women’s team contest their firstever FAI Women’s Cup semi-final. Athlone Town – last year’s beaten finalists – provide the opposition with the prize at the end of the day being a showdown with either Shelbourne or Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on November 19 for the silverware.
This is undoubtedly the biggest game in what is only the second year of Rovers fielding a senior women’s team.
Whether it be short-term or long-term, occasions like this Saturday could prove to be a catalyst for bigger and better things.
For the full impact of this fixture to be felt, a semi-final game deserves a semi-final crowd. While I am not expecting The Showgrounds to sell out this Saturday, you would like to think with no men’s game on and no English Premier League fixtures to contend with, that there is a fantastic opportunity for responsibility on ourselves as well to give them something to cheer about so hopefully it all comes together.” Rovers, who could be without Leah Kelly because of injury, have had no trouble finding the net recently and
The number of years that Rovers have competed in the FAI Women’s Cup (2022 and 2023). many supporters to attend for perhaps their first time ever. Rovers senior men’s team has a core
Feeney will have been pleased to see striker Emma Doherty return to goalscoring form on the brink of this historic occasion.
While her form has been perceived as not being as prolific as last year, he following of around 2,000 people. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if all of those supporters were able to come along and make their voices heard? Women’s teams