Galway WFC unfazed by TV coverage in fine effort against Shels

Shelbourne 2

Galway WFC 0

By Mike Rafferty

A first appearance on television for Galway WFC certainly did not faze them and while the result might not have gone their way, their performance was worthy of the national stage. This Women’s National League game in Tolka Park featured on TG4 on Saturday evening and was won by the home side who are chasing table toppers Peamount United for league honours.

To credit Shelbourne they took their goals very well. Their opener on six minutes was totally against the run of play as a left wing cross was finished to the net at close range by the inrushing Abbie Larkin.

In terms of possession and opportunities, the home side continued to played second fiddle to the visitors, but struck for the second on 75 minutes when the Galway defence was sucked out of position and a neatly laid pass by Larkin was picked up in space by Jessie Stapleton and she finished low past Lisa Hayes Coen.

Galway WFC were missing Julie-Ann Russell, Shauna Brennan and Kate Slevin, but a side containing four inexperienced U19 players took the game to the home outfit from the off.

Meadbh de Burca, Chloe Singleton and  Savannah McCarthy all tested Amanda Budden in the early exchanges, while the custodian also did well to advance and deny Abbie Callanan an equaliser in a one on one situation after 33 minutes.

A Larkin shot did bring out a good save from Hayes Coen just a minute after the restart, but in reality it was only on rare occasions that Shelbourne threatened to expose the Tribeswomen.

The likes of Aoibheann Costello, Chloe Singleton, Lynsey McKey and Emma Starr looked composed for WFC and they certainly made Shelbourne work for their win. A late Starr shot was kept out by Budden, while former Galway WFC player Shauna Fox produced an assured performance at the heart of the home side’s defence.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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