Five-star United go top with dismantling of poor visitors

Cork City 0

By Mike Rafferty in Headford

Julie Ann Russell became the first player to score a hat-trick for the Galway United Women’s team and backed up by a Jenna Slattery brace they were comfortable winners over a Cork City side who struggled to stay in this Women’s National League game played at the excellent Moyne Villa grounds on Saturday evening.

Originally scheduled for Eamonn Deacy Park, the Dyke Road pitch was ruled unplayable in the afternoon and the switch to Headford caused no heartache to Phil Trill’s side, who train there on a weekly basis and are very familiar with the venue.

Having started the campaign the previous week with a 2-0 away win over Athlone Town, United continued where they let off, as two opening-half goals were followed by three more on the resumption as the win sees them enjoy top billing in the league table with Shelbourne two points in arrears in second position.

The side showed just one change from that opening day victory as new American signing Emily Kavanaugh started on the right side of the attack in place of the absent Aisling Meaney.

Every team wants to make a dream start to a game and United certainly did on this occasion as just over two minutes had elapsed when they took the lead. Russell, Slattery and skipper Lynsey McKey were a thorn in the visitors’ side throughout the game, and all three were involved in the opener.

A Russell pass fed McKee down the right, and her pull-back was met by the inrushing Slattery who made it 1-0 with a close-range tap-in. The home side continued to do all the pressing as Kate Thompson and Isabella Beletic kept them on the front foot, but apart from a wild McKee effort that drifted well off target, Clodagh Fitzgerald in the Cork goal remained unchallenged.

Pictured: Julie-Ann Russell jumps into the arms of Lynsey McKey after scoring Galway United's second goal in Headford last Saturday. Photos: Michael Gough.