BY CONALL COLLIER
Three extra-time goals decided this absorbing Women’s Club Orange FAI Cup quarter-final on Saturday as hosts Galway Utd survived a stern Sligo Rovers examination to emerge on the right side of a 2-1 scoreline.
Emma Doherty’s goals in each half of that extra-time gave Galway a hard-earned victory as they hung on after Cara Jordan’s opportunist strike revived the Bit O’Red and set up a nail biting conclusion.
The sides finished scoreless after a high-tempo 90 minutes during which each team enjoyed periods of dominance without breaking the deadlock.
Bit O’Red boss Gavin Hughes made one change from the team that won the previous week with Gracie Dunaway starting in place of the injured Emma Hansberry.
Galway supremo Phil Trill made two changes with Amanda McQuillan returning between the posts in place of Nicole Nix and Amy Tierney started at the expense of Eve Dossen
Sligo Rovers stood strong for the opening 45 minutes and successfully frustrated the best efforts of the hosts who created an early chance through Emma Doherty that Bonnie McKiernan tipped away for a corner.
Doherty was well-contained by Alice Lillie initially and when she switched sides there wasn’t any compromise from Sabrina Hillyer against the former Sligo Rovers striker.
Hillyer was harshly penalised with a yellow card on 34 minutes, but soon after a Galway player escaped censure following a similar type of challenge.
Galway ‘keeper McQuillan showed her quality close to the interval when she raced out of her penalty area and won a crucial race for possession with Gracie Dunaway and averted the danger as it remained scoreless at the interval.
Sligo Rovers dominated the early second-half exchanges but a number of promising moves were thwarted by the Galway offside tactic.
Nevertheless, Cara Jordan and Anna McDaniel had shots on target, but Galway absorbed the pressure and gradually took a grip.
Remina Tillotson had the best chance for Galway when she denied in the 75th minute, but her goal-bound header was cleared off the line.
Sligo Rovers countered swiftly and Cara Jordan’s pass set up Alice Lillie who shot narrowly wide.
Extra-time was only five minutes old when Galway broke the deadlock through Emma Doherty who got a vital touch from close range.
Doherty made it 2-0 with a fine goal in the second-half of extra-time, but that late Cara Jordan goal had Galway scrambling for survival in five minutes of added time.
Galway Utd – Amanda McQuillan; Aoibheann Costello, Lucy Grant, Isabella Beletic, Remina Tillotson, Niamh Cotter, Aoibhin Donnelly, Cara Griffin, Amy Tierney, Emma Doherty, Niamh Farrelly.
Subs – Ava Mullins for Griffin and Aislinn Meaney for Tierney both 63 mins, Grace Donnelly for Gleeson 117m
Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Ava Hallinan, Sabrina Hillyer, Alanah Doherty, Alice Lillie, Emma Duffy, Cara Jordan, Ella Karolak, Olivia Rush, Gracie Dunaway, Anna McDaniel.
Subs – Haylee Mersereau for Hillyer and Cara King for Dunaway both 68 mins, Gio Dionicio for Doherty 85m, Paula McGrory for Hallinan 95m, Sarah McCaffrey for McDaniel 106m,
Referee – Mark Patchell.
Assistant-referees – Paul Farrell, Thomas Joyce.
Fourth official – Shane O’Donoghue.