Late goal ends the Galway WFC challenge in FAI Cup

Soccer Wrap with Mike Rafferty

Galway WFC 2

Wexford Youths WFC 3

Having taken a worthy early lead in this Womens FAI Cup quarter-final in Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday, Galway WFC lost their way for a five minute spell just before the break and in a flash almost all was lost.

Two quick goals gave the visitors an interval advantage, and while Billy Clery’s side did force a deserved equalier on the resumption, they were unable to build on the momentum gained as Wexford struck for a late winner.

The home side took the lead on 14 minutes when a Lynsey McKey corner found Meadbh de Burca loitering at the far post and the multi-capped senior Irish international had the simplest of finishes to knock the ball into the net for a 1-0 advantage.

They continued to enjoy the majority of possession, but seldom got a sight of Ciamh Gray’s goal again. Their back four were untroubled at this stage, and with Savanagh McCarthy keeping them on the front foot, there was optimism that they could build on the advantage.

However, it never happened and the cup holders showed their clinical side when the opportunities presented themselves as Ciara Rossiter walloped home a 40-yard effort following a short corner routine on 40 minutes; before Vanessa Ogbonna got the luck of a breaking ball to leave her one-on-one with Amanda Budden as she tucked her effort into the corner for a 2-1 interval lead.

To the credit of the home side they dominated for almost the majority of the second-half. Early on, McKey probably should have pulled an effort across the face of goal, but elected to shoot from a tight angle and found the side netting.

A corner by Jamie Turrentine was scrambled off the line in a packed goalmouth, before in their next attack the Californian was rewarded with the equaliser just past the hour mark, when she took possession following a quickly taken throw in by Aoife Thompson and drilled a 30-yard effort just inside a post to make it 2-2.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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