Galway WFC 4-1 Treaty United
At Eamonn Deacy Park
The sun may have been beating down on Eamonn Deacy Park, but a ruthless Galway WFC barely broke sweat in a sweeping win over a toothless Treaty United.
Any side coming into a game off the back of a 7-1 defeat last week would always be short on confidence, and that was the case for the women from Limerick, as a six-minute blitz between the 11th and 17th minute saw the Tribeswomen net four times without reply.
The hosts were short on numbers, with only seven players sitting on the sideline, however it certainly didn’t dent their morale as they proved streets ahead of their Treaty counterparts.
It took all of eleven minutes for the hosts to open the scoring, as well as the floodgates. A Kate Slevin corner from the right side bounced out to the edge of the area. From there, Lynsey McKey latched on with a beautiful volleyed effort which sailed into the net.
Three minutes later, the advantage was stretched out to two. Slevin was the supplier again with a pin-point corner, and this time Savannah McCarthy rose highest to nod home.
The women from Galway smelled blood and showed exactly the sort of ruthlessness Billy Clery would’ve been hoping to see.
A lashed ball across the face of goal saw Shauna Brennan in prime position to finish, which she did with aplomb, dinking over the hapless Treaty net-minder Medbh Ryan for her side’s third.
Just over 60 seconds later, the visitors would once again be cursing the proficiency of their near neighbours in front of goal. Rachel Kearns showed her typical efficiency, and the nonchalance with which she headed into the bottom corner for her sixth of the season was emblematic of the ease with which Galway were ripping an all-at-sea defence to shreds.
Treaty did show short flashes of their ability to cause problems, capitalising on some slight errors. However, the solidity of the likes of Shauna Fox and Keara Cormican at the back meant that such issues were diffused with little fuss.
Galway had some big chances to break the deadlock on the counter attack, with the most notable falling to the scorer of the first goal McKey.
There will be some worry for the medical staff of the hosts as Rachel Kearns hobbled into the dressing rooms underneath the stand as the first half drew to a close, however that would be the only blot on an otherwise perfect CV for the women in maroon.
Kearns was nursing an ankle injury from a previous clash, with the withdrawal more precautionary than anything.
After such a whirlwind opening 45, it was understandable that there would be somewhat of a drop-off in tempo, and so it proved, with victory practically secured early on for the hosts and the absence of the talismanic Kearns in attack.
On the hour-mark, substitute Aoife Thompson kick-started a sweeping one-touch counter-attack fit to grace any stage, with the only mistake at the final moment from Shauna Brennan, whose pea-roller inched wide.
In the 67th minute, Brennan’s speculative effort caused brief consternation for Ryan between the sticks, however to the relief of the Treaty side it narrowly arced over.
15 minutes from full-time, the visitors managed to pull one back, although it was only a consolation. Half-time substitute Áine Walsh made the most of the ball to feet from a throw-in, unleashing a snapshot into the right corner and past sub goal-keeper Trish Fennelly for her side’s only goal of the clash.
That would prove to be the final major act of the game, and come the full-time whistle, thoughts were already turning to the trip to face Wexford Youths next Saturday.
Galway WFC: Maja Zajc, Savannah McCarthy, Shauna Fox, Keara Cormican, Shauna Brennan, Lynsey McKey, Sinead Donovan, Therese Kinnevey, Kate Slevin, Chloe Moloney, Rachel Kearns.
Subs: Aoife Thompson for Kearns(HT), Trish Fennelly for Zajc(56′), Tessa Mullins for McKey(67′), Elle O’Flaherty for Cormican(67′), Ruth Fahy for Moloney(67′)
Treaty United: Medbh Ryan, Alannah Mitchell, Jenna Slattery, Cara Griffin, Tara O’Gorman, Rebecca Horgan, Aoife Horgan, Olivia Gibson, Aoife Cronin, Emma Costelloe, Jesse Mendez.
Subs: Áine Walsh for Gibson(HT), Lauren Keane for Griffin(78′).
