WNL Shield Final Preview: Galway WFC -v- UCD Waves

• Dave Donnelly
• Sat, Sep 16 2017




GALWAY WFC

Galway will look to take their promising league form into the Shield final on Saturday evening as they host UCD Waves at Eamonn Deacy Park (kick-off 5pm).

 

The Tribeswomen are unbeaten in their last four games in the Women's National League, a run that began with a 1-0 home win to tonight's opposition.

 

A Chloe Mustaki own goal was enough to separate the sides that day and Billy Cleary's side will look to be just as solid at the back as they were that day.

 

More recently, Galway were knocked out the FAI Cup by Shelbourne as two goals in four minutes from Fiona Donnelly and Siobhan Killeen broke their resistance.

 

Galway are a much different proposition at home, however, and they'll look to lean on their home advantage to tip the balance this evening.

 

 

UCD WAVES

Scheduling his worked against UCD for the Shield final as they will be without Áine O'Gorman, Clare Walsh and Karen Duggan due to their international call-ups.

 

With Julie-Ann Russell having recently departed for Australia, Waves will be short on a lot of their top-end experience against a team who've had the upper hand over them this year.

 

A 7-1 win over Kilkenny United in the Cup last weekend will have been a confidence boost for Noel Kealy's following a 3-0 defeat to Peamount in the WNL Cup.

 

Orlagh Nolan scored a hat-trick alongside a brace for O'Gorman and one each for Emily Cahill and Sophie O'Donoghue as Waves cruised to victory.

 

They'll have been frustrated by the late concession of a consolation goal and they'll need to be an awful lot tighter against a dangerous Galway attack.

 

 

Referee: TBC

 

 

MATCH STATS

Galway and UCD Waves have met three times in the league so far this season, with the Tribeswomen holding the slender upper hand.

 

Waves edged the opening day meeting at Deacy Park thanks to an early goal from Áine O'Gorman but Galway have turned the tables in the two subsequent games.

 

Sinead Taylor's goal in first-half injury time secured victory in the second meeting at Jackson Park, while Chloe Mustaki's own goal gave them all three points last month.

 

In between, the sides met in the quarter-finals of the WNL Cup where UCD ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at Drom Park thanks to Karen Duggan, Julie-Ann Russell and Dearbhaile Beirne.

 

 

BETTING

N/A

 

PREDICTION

Galway WFC 1 – 2 UCD Waves

 

 

Galway WFC

Injured: Unavailable.

Doubtful: Unavailable.

Suspended: None.

 

UCD Waves

Injured: Unavailable.

Doubtful: Unavailable.

Suspended: None.

Unavailable: Karen Duggan, Áine O'Gorman, Clare Walsh (international duty).