Late agony for Galway WFC as visitors grab the spoils

Galway WFC 1

Raheny United 2

A sloppy finale took the gloss off what had looked like a giant killing act of monster proportions by Galway WFC when they were pipped at the post in Sunday’s Women’s League Cup contest at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Though the National League champions were comfortable winners in two previous meetings between the sides, they were outplayed on this occasion and it took two late goals to really sicken the home contingent.

A stunning Lynsey McKkey strike had given the home side a worthy interval advantage and while they probably traded on equal terms with the visitors in the second half, they were in still in the driving seat as the game entered the 90th minute.

The concession of a free kick on half way should not have posed a threat. However, it was the start of their downfall  as Rachel Graham drilled the set piece into the box and as a trio of players could have cleared the ball, they let it go as goalkeeper Melissa Casserly called and advanced off her line.

However, quicker off her mark was Clare Shine, who stole behind the cover, picked up possession, before rounding the stranded custodian and tapping into an empty net. The silence in the stand told its own story.

Worse was to follow as the home side stuttered again and three minutes into additional time, Raheny struck for an unworthy winner, as Katie McCabe drilled in a shot that was deflected and looped up and over Casserly and from literally on the goal line, Shine again tapped home for the winner.

A goalmouth incident followed and saw a number of players involved in a scuffle, with the visitors Noelle Murray getting a red card. It was a finale that didn’t seem possible five minutes earlier and certainly didn’t reflect the performance of either side.

Manager Nigel Keady gave starts to Jenny Byrne in midfield and Eleanor Stafford in attack and she joined leading scorer Sinéad Taylor in a 4-4-2 formation. The midfield quartet of Byrne, Ruth Fahy, Grainne Barrett and Lynsey McKey played in a tight diamond formation and with no width, it was up to the full backs Meabh De Burca and Alana Moran to deal with whatever came down the flanks and they did so in an exceptional manner.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.