WNL U19 Report: Galway 3-0 Athlone Town

Paul Corcoran reports from Dangan

Galway claimed their fourth WNL U19 victory in Group A on Sunday afternoon with a 3-0 win over Athlone Town at Dangan.

Saoirse Healey opened the scoring for the home side in the second half with Anna Fahey netting twice to claim the three points for the Tribeswomen.

The home side had a couple of early chances, with Athlone goalkeeper Ciara Glackin called into action in the third minute to take control of a scramble in the box after a dangerous corner-kick from Healey.

Kelsey Munroe was tested in the tenth minute with the defender making an important interception close to the goal line after Healey put another dangerous ball into the box.

Athlone were the dominant force for much of the first half however, with Aisling Mahony, Emily Corbett, Laoise O’hAodha and Ciara McManus all going close in the first half.

They went closest late in the opening half, first in the 42^nd minute when McManus played a through ball to Corbett in the box, the forward shot across goal and if O’hAodha had been just a second earlier she might have been able to nick it into the goal with the ball going just inches wide of the post.

Just before the end of the first half Corbett drew a great save from Hannah Walsh with the goalkeeper needing to dive across her goal to prevent the ball curling into the bottom corner.

It was a much more even affair in the second half with very few clear cut chances for either side immediately after the restart, but it was Galway who started to take control after the hour mark with Healey and Abbie Callanan both going close for the home side with chances in the 64^th and 65^th minutes.

A stellar performance by Healey was finally capped with a goal in the 67^th minute after some great work by Callanan who took the ball down the right wing from her own half before playing it across the box.

Healey claimed the ball and took aim from the edge of the area and a deflection in the box took the ball out of reach of Glackin, putting the home side in front.

Galway doubled that lead five minutes later after some great pressure by Anna Fahey on the Athlone defence inside their box, she eventually stripped the ball from the visitors and the forward was able to strike the ball into the net from close range.

Fahey got her name on the scoresheet for a second time eight minutes from the end of the game when she again managed to win the ball among a crowd of players on the edge of the Athlone Town box, the striker managed to escape the pack and play the ball forward for herself to fire into the bottom right corner to complete a good win for the Tribeswomen.

Galway WU19: Hannah Walsh; Bryna Milton, Jane Trehy, Ella Gilmore, Alva Munnelly (Hannah Glynn, 28); Saoirse Healey, Aoibhín Donnelly, Ailbhe Whyte, Elisha Bohan (Sorcha McCarney, 61), Abbie Callanan; Anna Fahey.

Subs not used: Aoibheann Costello, Eve Dossen, Shauna Butler.

Athlone Town WU19: Ciara Glackin; Kelsey Munroe, Lucy-Jane Grant, Ava Dolan, Rebecca O’Connor (Robin Bracken, 70); Leah Keogh (Aoife Mulkerin, 75), Aisling Mahony (Ava Cornally, 61), Jessica Hennessy, Ciara McManus (Kellie Brennan); Laoise O’hAodha, Emily Corbett.

Subs not used: None.

extratime.com Player of the Match: Saoirse Healey (Galway)

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