United recover from a poor start to reel in Sligo visitors

Sligo Rovers 2

FOR a while this game had the look of a potentially embarrassing defeat for Galway United, before a second half recovery offered some form of compensation as the hosts eventually ran out merited winners in this Women's National League contest in Eamonn Deacy Park on Sunday.

Sligo Rovers are just in their fourth season at this level and their second from bottom of the table position indicates a team struggling somewhat, but despite just one win from their previous 11 games and only scoring four goals, they were 2-0 up at the break on this occasion as the home side struggled to get going.

Of course, the dressing room walls will shelter what went on at the break, but on the resumption Galway United were a transformed outfit. Two quick goals levelled matters within five minutes, before a second from Emma Doherty just past the hour mark, was followed by a fourth in the latter stages to eventually allow them run out comfortable winners.

The selected side offered mixed messages from a starting point of view, as a 3-5-2 line up played very deep, before a a change to a 4-4-2 formation eventually paid off as United totally dominated the second half.

However, up to that point they were in trouble. The side showed two changes to the selection that saw off Shamrock Rovers by 3-1 in the All Island Cup a week previously as Kate Thompson and Ava Mullins replaced Amanda Smith and Rola Olusola. The bench included two recent signings, Kyah Coady and Aoibhinn Donnolly, and both got some brief game time in the closing minutes.

Saturday’s contest saw the home side start off in an assertive fashion as Farrelly, Beletic and Thompson kept them on the front foot. United went close to an opener on eight minutes when a smashing Mullins right wing cross was flashed just outside a post by Ceola Bergin.

Though Sligo were offering their own attacking moments without ever threatening United 'keeper Nicole Nix, all that changed on 13 minutes when Emma Hansbury floated in a right wing corner and central defender Anne McKinley was all alone at the far post to nod into an empty net for a 1-0 advantage.

Pictured: Galway United's Ava Mullins tussling for possession with Keeva Flynn of Sligo Rovers during Saturday's Premier Division tie at Eamonn Deacy Park. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy.