SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division Yet another difficult day
Rovers women miss forward Emma Doherty as they lose 1-0 to Cork City at The Showgrounds
SSE Airtricity
Women’s Premier Division Sligo Rovers 0 Cork City 1
SLIGO Rovers’ women’s team are now six games without a competitive win in 2024. It has been a joyless experience thus far in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division and the Avenir Sports Women’s All-Island Cup.
Last Saturday’s disappointing home loss to Cork City in a Women’s Premier Division fixture has exacerbated matters as Rovers suffered without striker Emma Doherty, the team’s leading scorer in 2022 and 2023.
A hand injury sustained in training ruled out the ATU Sligo player and Rovers’ attacking options were further weakened when Paula McGrory, who led the line admirably in Doherty’s absence, was withdrawn at half-time because of injury.
Rovers were below par, not just because Emma Doherty wasn’t on the pitch, but after 45 minutes, with matters scoreless, they were still on course to at least slog it out for a point.
But Cork struck in the 50th minute for the only goal of the contest when excellent striker Colleen Kennedy finished well from Dorothea Greulich’s perfectly measured through ball.
The home side, who were emboldened by how they battled away to Athlone Town the weekend before, albeit in defeat, were up against a decent Cork side, with the visitors further up the table.
Paula McGrory had Rovers’ first shot on target, although it was a straightforward save for Cork goalkeeper Clodagh Fitzgerald, and then Keri Loughrey had an even better effort – set up by Emma Hansberry – that forced Fitzgerald to turn it out for a corner.
Zoe McGlynn was busy in the number 10 position and there was the usual midfield graft from Emma Hansberry and Muireann Devaney.
Another McGrory effort, this time a header, kept Cork’s custodian alert.
Cork, however, almost took a 22nd minute lead when Colleen Kennedy scurried through and placed a shot goalwards – the ball was going in only for Keeva Flynn’s goal-line clearance.
Flynn would emerge as Rovers’ best defender and in that first-half Eimear Lafferty was also defensively solid.
The hosts needed a goal and with half an hour gone it was Muireann
The number of games that the Rovers women team have gone without a win so far this year.
WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION
P W D L F A Diff 5 4 1 0 14 2 +12 5 3 1 1 8 4 +4 5 2 3 0 4 1 +3 5 2 1 2 4 5 -1 5 2 1 2 3 8 -5 5 2 0 3 4 7 -3 4 1 2 1 5 4 +1 4 0 4 0 4 4 0 4 0 2 2 2 4 -2 4 0 2 2 2 7 -5 4 0 1 3 1 5 -4
Galway Utd Athlone Town Shelbourne Peamount Utd Cork City Bohemians Treaty Utd Shamrock Rvrs Sligo Rovers DLR Waves Wexford FC
Devaney’s turn to try to break the deadlock – she dragged a low shot just wide of the far post.
Cork threatened again – Colleen Kennedy was becoming a nuisance and Laura Shine had a pop at goal but she wellied it way over. The first-half ended with another chance for Rovers. Jodie Loughrey’s well-struck shot was saved by Clodagh Fitzgerald after Muireann Devaney and Zoe McGlynn created the opportunity.
In added time at the end of the firsthalf Paul McGrory guided a firm header just over from a fine cross by Keeva Flynn. Rovers had cause to rue these missed chances when Cork went in front just five minutes into the second-half.
Keri Loughrey became increasingly prominent and there was some determined work from substitute Cara King but Rovers, who brought on Katie Melly for the injured Paula McGrory, were unable to pressurise Cork’s defence as they had done in the first-half. Muireann Devaney continued to be busy – one wicked cross
Pts 13 10 9 7 7 6 5 4 2 2 1
UNDER PRESSURE: Keri Loughrey attempts to retain possession for Rovers despite the presence of two Cork City players during last Saturday’s SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division fixture at The Showgrounds.
ROVERS have a considerable journey ahead of them – we’re not speaking metaphorically – as the Bit O’Red are heading to Wexford FC for Saturday’s fixture at Ferrycarrig Park (6pm).
Wexford are currently bottom of the standings, having picked up just a point after four games – that was
had to be punched clear by Clodagh Fitzgerald and the away side’s goalkeeper made a sharp save to deny Devaney’s shot after the midfielder powered into Cork’s penalty area in the 81st minute.
Efficient Cork came close to doubling their advantage through a late shot from Barrett Eidson and a tempting cross from Eva Mangan was hacked clear by Sarah Kiernan, one of five replacements for the hosts.
Rovers, desperate for an equaliser, brought goalkeeper Amber Hardy up for a corner in added time.
Rovers boss Tommy Hewitt, meanwhile, was less than pleased by the display against the Leesiders. He stated: “We just didn’t turn up and Cork were worthy winners. Our game against Athlone Town [the previous
TURNING POINT: Cork City’s goal. In such a tight contest the first goal was always going to be crucial and so it proved as the visitors made the breakthrough in the 50th minute thanks to talented American Colleen Kennedy. from a draw with Shamrock Rovers on March 16. Rovers’ next opponents have lost to three Dublin clubs, Bohemians (2-0), Peamount United (10) and Shelbourne (1-0). That fixture against Shelbourne last Saturday was the 200th appearance for Wexford stalwart Ciara Rossiter.
weekend] showed positive signs of where I wanted the team to be but here we genuinely didn’t show up.
“I thought in the first-half we were poor and it is probably the poorest performance that I’ve seen from these players in three years.”
Conceding a goal in the opening five minutes was a sickening blow according to the manager. “At half-time I would have settled for a 0-0 draw – I know that is not what people want to hear but that is how poor we were playing.
“We were lucky not to be 1-0 down [in the first-half ] and we told them not to concede early in the second-half. The first goal is always crucial for whoever gets it.
He continued: “We had one or two half-chances but I’m not going to take anything away from Cork, they really, really deserved that win. They managed the game very well and we just couldn’t get a grip of the ball.”
Best for Rovers: Keeva Flynn
Sligo Rovers: Amber Hardy; Keri Loughrey (Kate Nugent 76), Kelsey Munroe (Cara King 57), Eimear Lafferty (Alice Lillie 76), Keeva Flynn, Jodie Loughrey; Emma Hansberry
(c) (Sarah Kiernan 57), Kelly Crompton, Muireann Devaney; Zoe McGlynn, Paula McGrory (Katie Melly 46)
Subs not used: Bonnie McKiernan (gk), Amy Roddy, Ciara Henry, Lauren Devaney
Cork City: Clodagh Fitzgerald; Aliz Mendez, Niamh Cotter, Heidi Mackin, Kiera Sena; Dorothea Greulich, Orlaith O’Mahony;
Laura Shine (Christina Dring 74), Eva Mangan (c), Aoibhin Donnelly (Barrett Eidson 74); Colleen Kennedy
Subs not used: Hannah Walsh (gk), Lauren Walsh, Shaunagh McCarthy, Jesse Mendez, Chloe Atkinson, Aoife Robinson, Erin O’Brien
Referee: Marc Lynch
Attendance: 183