- Paul Corcoran
- Sat, Oct 15 2022
Paul Corcoran reports from Dalymount Park
Galway secured their first win in three games when they ran out 2-1 winners over Bohemians in the Women’s National League on Saturday evening.
The home side took the lea through Katie Lovely but a goal from Elle O’Flaherty and a penalty fro Jenna Slattery was enough to give the Tribeswomen the three points in Dalymount Park.
It was a cagey opening ten minutes for both sides with neither team able to create any clear cut chances at either end.
Aoibheann Costello gave Bohs’ Rachael Kelly her first touch of the ball in the tenth minute when a Chloe Singleton ball came right across the box to the defender, she had plenty of time and took aim but her shot was far to close to the ‘keeper with an easy save made to deny the visitors.
The Tribeswomen were on target again five minutes later when Singleton played Elle O’Flaherty into the box with a good through ball, the striker hit the ball on the run but the shot wasn’t strong enough to challenge Kelly in the Bohemians goal.
Some good goalkeeping by Abbiegayle Ronayne kept the home side scoreless in the 22nd minute when Rachel Doyle placed the ball almost on a teammates head deep inside the box from a corner, Galway’s shot stopper reacted quickly to claim the ball and remove the danger for the visitors.
Another Doyle corner minutes later caused more trouble for Galway with Bryce Reynolds nearly putting the ball into her own net at the back post, Ronayne intervened to deflect the ball behind.
O’Flaherty was through on goal just before half time, she was one on one with Rachael Kelly with a great chance to put Galway in front, the goalkeeper pulled off an excellent save to deny the striker at close range, however.
Jenna Slattery very nearly put Galway in front in spectacular fashion just five minutes after the re-start, the midfielder floated a free-kick in from the left with the ball clipping the upright and coming back out, Jamie Erickson followed up with a snapshot, but the Bohs defence were able to clear.
The home side were in front on the hour mark when a Niamh Prior corner was headed away from goal by a Galway defender, the ball only made its way as far as Katie Lovely she took aim quickly and smashed the ball through a crowded goal mouth and into the net.
Galway had been playing Elle O’Flaherty through on goal all evening and that move finally paid off in the 76th minute when the striker found herself racing in towards Rachael Kelly once again, this time she stuck the ball in the back of the net to bring the side level.
Kate Thompson came close to putting the visitors in the lead five minutes later with a free-kick from long range, the ball seemed to stay in the air forever before coming down on goal near the crossbar with Kelly only just tipping it over the bar with her fingertips.
The Tribeswomen managed to get their noses in front in the 84th minute when Jenna Slattery scored from the penalty spot after O’Flaherty was taken down in the box, Slattery fired the ball into the bottom right corner giving Kelly little chance to make a save.
Galway held on for the victory in one of their last ever games in the Women's National League, their attention now turns to their final two games against two title challenging teams, Athlone Town and Peamount United.
Bohemians WFC: Rachael Kelly; Ann Marie Byrne, Isobel Finnegan, Katie Lovely, Lisa Murphy; Abbie Brophy, Chloe Darby, Rachel Doyle (Aoife Robinson 74), Erin Phelan, Niamh Prior (Ciara Maher 68); Kira Bates-Crosbie.
Subs not used: Molly O'Brien, Oletta Griffin, Abbie O'Hara, Lara Phipps, Sinead Taylor, Bronagh Kane, Freya Roche.
Booked: Lisa Murphy (81).
Galway WFC: Abbiegayle Ronayne; Aoibheann Costello (Abbie Callanan 69), Jamie Erickson, Therese Kinnevey, Bryce Reynolds, Kate Thompson; Nicole McNamara, Taylor Rutland, Chloe Singleton (Rola Olusola, 92), Jenna Slattery; Elle O'Flaherty (Eve Dossen, 92).
Subs not used: Peggy Ford, Tara O'Sullivan, Roisin Jacob, Maya Rutland, Jodie Griffin.
Booked: Taylor Rutland (38).
Referee: Paul Norton.
extratime.com Player of the Match: Elle O’Flaherty (Galway)
