Galway WFC 5 Peamount United 1
Galway Women’s FC put in one of their best performances ever when they ran riot against league leaders Peamount United winning 5-1 in Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday night. Galway went into the game having gone down to bottom side Kilkenny United the previous week and with a number of players missing but Billy Cleary managed to turn his side round in 6 days to produce a wonderful display of flowing high intensity football.
Aoife Brennan put the home side one up after 22 minutes when she converted from the penalty spot having been upended in the box by Peamount ‘keeper Naoisha McAloon. Galway’s lead was short lived when Sarah McKevitt equalised for the visitors on 29 minutes. The home side had Tina Hughes to thank on the stroke of half time when she saved bravely from the league’s top scorer Amber Barrett to keep the sides level.
On 56 minutes Galway took the lead from a Grainne Barrett corner which evaded everyone in the box and found the net via the back post. Mid-way through the half a Barrett free kick found current Offaly Rose Jennifer Byrne on the penalty spot and she controlled and turned before firing to the top left-hand corner of the net. The home fans had more to shout about 2 minutes later Brennan got her second of the night and Galway’s fourth firing home from ten yards out.
Hughes was then called on again this time producing a flying fingertip save to put Louise Masterson’s goal bound strike out for a corner. Galway then saved the best ‘till last in the last minute of normal time when former Peas player Lisa Casserly produced a sublime turn inside her own half and released Lyndsey McKey down the left. McKey carried the ball forward before releasing a thunderbolt from just outside the box into the top right-hand corner.
Galway now travel south to Bishopstown on Saturday evening where they take on Cork City. After the performance and with returning players Clery will have a welcome selection headache for once. After the game player of the match Brennan said, “Obviously we were hurt from last week. We had plenty of chances but just couldn’t put them away. We knew this week we’d have to battle hard and put away our chances. We were delighted with the win and now we have to go and play Cork this weekend and hopefully we have more of the same.”
Galway WFC: Tina Hughes, Jennifer Byrne, Alina Cheatham, Keara Cormican, Lyndsey McKey, Méabh De Búrca (Therese Hartley 85), Sadhbh Doyle, Lisa Casserly, Grainne Barrett, Aoife Brennan, Aislinn Meaney.
Peamount United: Naoisha McAloon, Jade Reddy (Doireann Fahy 60), Lauren Kealy (Lauryn O' Callaghan 60), Chloe Moloney, Emma Byrne, Lucy McCartan, Eleanor Ryan-Doyle, Megan Smyth Lynch (Louise Masterson 75), Sarah McKevitt, Amber Barrett, Heather Payne.
