Reality check for Galway Utd against table toppers Athlone

Athlone Town Women 3

By Mike Rafferty at Eamonn Deacy Park

AN unbeaten start to the Women's National League campaign for Galway United came to a crushing end at Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday evening

After comfortably seeing off some of the weaker teams in those early weeks of the new season, United got a reality check against defending champions and league leaders Athlone Town.

From the outset, the title holders were different class to their hosts. Athlone Town controlled the opening half and after going in three up at the break, they comfortably withstood a spirited home comeback on the resumption.

As disheartening as it was for Galway, a “ghost” third goal for Athlone certainly killed off the home challenge as the linesman flagged for an effort that clearly struck a post and ran outside the goal line. That was confirmed on the TG4 live match feed and while a two goal deficit would have been difficult to overcome, rertrieving the three goal gap was always going to prove beyond United.

The contest saw the return of some of the senior players who missed the All Island Cup win over Cliftonville the previous week and having defeated Athlone twice last season, there were few warnings that matters would play out the way they did.

To credit the Midland side, they were outstanding in the opening half. They certainly challenged the United players all over the park and just never gave them room to play. The hosts did not know what hit them as they struggled to get out of their own half for much of the opening 45 minutes and, in reality, were just witnesses to an impressive Athlone display.

The visitors took the lead on six minutes when Katherine Sullivan crossed from the left and Isabel Ryan had time and space to pick her spot and make it 1-0. They added a second on 20 minutes when an inswinging Maddy Gibson made it all the way to the net as goalkeeper Jayne Merren was crowded out in a packed box.

Athlone made it 3-0 after 39 minutes when a cracking Shauna Brennan shot crashed off the far post and back along the line. As fast as Trump could add another tariff, the linesman's flag was flying high to indicate a “goal”. How wrong he was!

Huge credit is due to United as they lifted their game a few levels on the resumption and were unlucky not to find the net on a few occasions. After Athlone goalkeeper Maria Matthaiou clawed an inswinging Lucy Jane Grant corner off the line, a cracking long range effort by Aoibheann Costello was treated in a similar similar by the custodian.

Pictured: Galway United's Ceola Bergin in a race for possession with Kayleigh Shine of Athlone Town during Saturday's Premier Division clash at Eamonn Deacy Park. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy.