GALWAY UTD 4, SLIGO ROVERS 2

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers surrendered a two-goal interval advantage on Saturday evening in the Women’s Premier Division (WPD) against title-chasing Galway Utd who replied with four second-half goals.

New signing Annie McKinley made her debut for the Bit O’Red and Sarah McDaniel also started with both players making a big contribution.

Two more new faces appeared for the Bit O’Red in the second-half with Bernie Ferreira and Louise Masterson sent into the fray by manager Steve Feeney.

McKinley arrived from California where she played College football for the last four years and concluded her final season with a League Championship success.

She made an instant impact for the Bit O’Red as she rocketed a header to the net on 13 minutes from an Emma Hansberry corner and 20 minutes later the duo struck again.

Goal number two was similar to the opener and that gave the Bit O’Red the platform for a 2-0 interval advantage.

Galway’s only real chance in the opening half was a Celoa Bergin effort that went narrowly wide.

However, Galway upped the tempo for the second half with early goals from Emma Doherty and Isabella Beletic for parity by the 50th minute.

Then, the former Sligo Rovers striker headed Galway in front on the hour as the hosts showed a more positive disposition in the second half.

That attitude produced a fourth goal for Galway with six minutes remaining.

Rovers lost possession around midfield, and Galway substitute Amanda Smith capitalised to make it 4-2, sealing a hard-earned victory for the hosts in sweltering conditions.

Galway Utd – Nicole Nix; Aoibheann Costello, Lucy Grant, Isabella Beletic, Kate Thompson, Therese Kinnevey, Ceola Bergin, Ava Mullins, Eve Dossen, Emma Doherty, Niamh Farrelly. 

Subs – A Smith for Mullins 62 mins, R Olusola for Bergin 76 mins, K Coady for Doherty and A Donnelly for Thompson, both 88 mins.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Sarah McDaniel, Keeva Flynn, Annie McKinley, Alice Lillie, Emma Hansberry, Paula McGrory, Katie Melly, Kya McKenna, Alana Doherty, Cara King. 

Subs – Bernie Ferreira for Hansberry and Louise Masterson for McGrory, both 74 mins; Eve Caprani for McDaniel and Amy McCarthy for King, both 85 mins.

Referee – Kate O’Brien.

Assistant referees – Conor Fitzgibbon, Paudie Hayes.

Fourth official – Declan Toland.

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers return to action in the Women’s Premier Division (WPD) with a trip to Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday to tackle title-chasing Galway Utd at 5pm.

Galway took the points home from the Showgrounds last time on Easter Saturday with what was a hard-earned 3-1 victory.

That was a costly outing for the Bit O’Red, as separate second-half injuries to Katie Melly and Jessica Casey disrupted the team’s fluency.

Rachel McGoldrick scored for the Bit O’Red as Galway added two late goals to seal the 3-1 victory.

Boss Steve Feeney has struggled to get a consistent starting 11 so far, due mainly to a lengthy injury list, and it will be a similar story for Saturday’s trip to Galway.

However, he is hopeful that former Peamount Utd player Louise Masterson will be able to make an overdue debut for the Bit O’red.

Louise was recruited for the start of the season, but a registration issue left her ineligible until now, and she should be a good addition to the side. 

Bernie Ferreria and Annie McKinley have also signed up for the Bit O’Red and should be available for the weekend action.

Ferreira has played with a number of clubs, including Crusaders and Linfield, and also featured for Northern Ireland at under-17 and under-19 levels. 

Last February she scored against Albania in stage two of the UEFA WU19 Euro 2025 qualifiers as N Ireland won by 5-0. 

McKinley arrives from California after playing college football for the last four years and finished her last season with a league championship success.

“Hopefully, the registrations for Louise, Bernie and Annie will be okay for Saturday, and I’ll be able to include them in the squad for the game against Galway,” commented the Bit O’Red boss.

“Apart from the players on the injured list, we will be without Muireann and Lauren Devaney while Alanna Doherty, Eimear Lafferty and Anna McDaniel are on the doubtful list at the moment,” he added.

Looking at the last outing in the WFAI Cup against DLR Waves, Steve was disappointed with the result, although he couldn’t fault the overall effort of the players. 

“We could have won the game against DLR Waves a fortnight ago, but we just couldn’t get over the line,” he said.

“We didn’t capitalise on some early chances, but even after going two goals down, we displayed great character to get back into contention.

“I was disappointed with the decision to award a penalty, apparently for a push in the back. I couldn’t see it even after watching it a few times after the game, but that’s the way it goes, and you just have to get on with it.

“Going to Galway on Saturday, one of the strongest teams in the league, will be another big challenge for us.

“However, we know that we can be competitive, that we create chances, and that we can defend well.

“If we can do all that with a little bit more consistency and finish some of the chances that we create, then we will make it difficult for Galway and hopefully take something home from the game,” he concluded.

GALWAY UTD

Currently sitting in fourth place, some nine points adrift of leaders Athlone Town with a back match away to Peamount from a postponement in March, Galway cannot afford any more slip-ups with three defeats already clocked up.

May was a bad month on that front with defeats against Athlone Town, Shelbourne and Treaty Utd, but since then they have beaten Cork and Waterford to get the drive for a WPD title back on track.

Apart from chasing a first WPD title after going close last season, the Galway women are also chasing a third successive All-Island Cup and will face Wexford in the semi-final at the end of July.

They exited the WFAI Cup at the first hurdle, losing to Shelbourne at the end of June, but bounced back to winning ways in the All-Island Cup last weekend with a 3-1 quarter-final victory against Shamrock Rovers.

Ceola Bergin scored twice in the opening half for Phil Trill’s side, and an early second-half own goal sealed the verdict in front of a good-sized crowd of almost 400 at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Galway Utd v Sligo Rovers live on LOITV on Saturday at 5pm.

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to confirm that the club have reached a deal with Shelbourne which will see exciting young winger Ryan O’Kane spend the rest of the current season at the Showgrounds. 

O’Kane, 21, arrives at Rovers on a loan deal and will be eligible for Saturday’s clash with Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds. The Louth native is the fourth new addition to John Russell’s squad, after Seb Quirk, Paddy McClean and fellow loanee James McManus all agreed individual deals. 

Predominately a left sided attacker, O’Kane can also operate on the right side and will be a valuable asset for Russell as Rovers face into the remainder of the season. 

The Dundalk man began his career at Irish League side Warrenpoint having been brought up through the local leagues with Glenmuir, Rock Celtic and Bellurgan. A notable talent from a young age, O’Kane made his Irish League debut for Warrenpoint against Larne at just 15. 

He went on to sign for his hometown club, arriving at Oriel Park in 2021 and spent four seasons with the Lilywhites before being snapped up by current Premier Division champions Shels last November. 

“I heard Rovers were interested at the start of June and I spoke to John and was really excited about what he had to say and what his plans were”, he tells sligorovers.com. 

“Both for myself and the club. It was a no-brainer for me to come here.

“I’ve kept an eye on things here and I have been impressed with what I’ve seen. The football Rovers play suits me as it’s an attacking style. The fans can expect to see a lot of direct, attacking football when I get on the ball. I always want to take players on and get shots and crosses off when I can. I want to excite the supporters. 

“We’re going to try and gain as much ground on the teams above us as possible. There are plenty of games and time left and of course we have the FAI Cup to look forward to in Dundalk in a few weeks.”

Bit O’Red boss Russell is delighted to add O’Kane to the roster. He says: “I love Ryan’s mentality, just from speaking to him. He is hungry to come up here to Rovers and show people how good he is. I’m sure our fans will be excited to see what he brings.

“Ryan is an exciting player. He offers pace, trickery and directness to the team. We’ve added one of the best young talents in the league and we’re delighted with this bit of business. 

“We also have to thank Shels and in particular Luke Byrne, their technical director for his assistance. They trust us with his development and the move certainly suits both parties at the moment.”    

David Goulden 

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to confirm that the club have secured the services of midfielder and Republic of Ireland underage international James McManus until the end of the current season. 

The 20-year-old joins on loan from fellow Premier Division club Bohemians and is manager John Russell’s third new signing of the window following the arrivals of Seb Quirk and Paddy McClean last week. 

All three players are eligible for first-team duties from this Saturday when the Bit O’Red take on Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds. 

McManus arrives in Sligo having featured twelve times for Bohs this season, scoring the winner against Cork City back in April. He was on the bench for the Dubliners’ games against Rovers both in May and last Friday, but did feature for 90 minutes for Alan Reynolds’ side’s win over Rovers at Dalymount Park in April.

A product of St Kevin’s Boys, McManus signed for the Phibsboro outfit progressing through the under 15, 17 and 19 levels before making his first-team debut against UCD in 2022. He has gone on to appear for Bohs just short of 70 times and has been capped for the Republic of Ireland at underage level, appearing at every level from under 15 to 19s, captaining the 19s two years ago. 

Although the newest face in the door at the Showgrounds, McManus will find himself in familiar company in the Rovers dressing room having represented his country alongside Conor Walsh and Jad Hakiki, while he also played in the same Bohs team as winger Stephen Mallon. 

The Dubliner is excited about his opportunity at Rovers. 

Speaking to sligorovers.com, he says: “I’ve been in and out of the team at Bohs and haven’t played as much as I feel I need to and want to. I spoke to Bohs about letting me go for a short while and once that was agreed, John (Russell) was straight in touch. 

“It didn’t take long for me to be convinced that Sligo was the place for me. There were a few clubs that showed interest but once I knew Rovers were interested, I jumped at the chance. 

“I have seen how many young players have flourished under John at the Showgrounds. He puts trust in young players and gives you a platform to show people that young players are good enough to play at this level. 

“I’ve been impressed with Rovers this season. We play a really attractive brand of football and caused Bohs a lot of problems in the games we’ve played against each other. So I want to add to that. 

“Last Friday, nothing was actually finalised so I didn’t know where I’d be today but I was impressed with Sligo. The Bohs lads would have really been on form considering recent results. 

“Looking back now as a Sligo Rovers player, it was a really good result to go there and take a point. 

“I know Jad and Conor well from Ireland squads and I spoke to Niall Morahan and he told me all about the setup here. I would have played with Stephen Mallon at Bohs too so knowing some lads will help me settle very quickly I hope. 

“I want to play as much as possible here. We want to catch the teams above us and pull away from the bottom of the league as it’s not where this football club belongs.”  

Satisfied with his latest addition, Russell says: “James is an intelligent midfielder who can dictate the tempo of any game. He can do a bit of everything, which I love in a player. 

“I feel he will fit in well with what we have here and the way we play. We are all excited to start working with him. I have always admired what he can do ever since he broke into the Bohs team. I’d like to thank both Pat Fenlon and Alan Reynolds for their help in getting this deal done.” 

David Goulden 

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers will face DLR Waves for the second time in a fortnight when the Dublin side travel to the Showgrounds this Saturday for a first-round Women’s FAI Cup encounter.

Two weeks ago, DLR Waves shaded a fiercely competitive Women’s Premier Division (WPD) encounter with a 60th-minute Amber Cullen goal that gave her side a first win of the season.

Last August, however, Sligo Rovers knocked the Waves out of the Cup with a 3-1 quarter-final victory at the Belfield Bowl. On that occasion, goals from Anna McDaniel, Kelsey Munroe and Paula McGrory sealed the victory against the hosts, who found the net through Robyn Bolger.

The action on Saturday will be end-to-end as both teams will be eager to advance, but in terms of the formbook, it would appear that Sligo Rovers have the better credentials with semi-final appearances over the past two seasons. DLR Waves have exited at the quarter-final stage of the competition in each of the last three seasons but will be confident of success based on that victory a fortnight ago.

Nevertheless, Sligo Rovers can also approach the tie with an equal amount of belief based on the evidence from last week’s outing against title-chasing Shelbourne. Although Shelbourne won by 3-1, it was an uncomfortable 90 minutes for the Dublin side, who had to rely on a first-half penalty for the lead before adding a second soon after.

However, they were rocked when Anna McDaniel scored for the Bit O’Red following a superb Muireann Devaney pass to leave it 2-1 at the interval, and that set up a nervy second half for the Dubliners.

A positive in every game this season for the Sligo Rovers players is the fact that they continue to create chances, and they will do so again on Saturday. Finishing is the real challenge.

According to manager Steve Feeney, Paula McGrory will be available and could return to the starting lineup.

“Cara King looks like she will be out with an ankle injury, and we will assess Alana Doherty ahead of Saturday’s game,” commented the Bit O’Red boss.

Both Alana Doherty and Cara King were replaced in the second half last weekend against Shelbourne. Katie Melly and Ava Hallinan may not be available, but Alice Lillie, who missed the last couple of games, will return to the squad.

“The players have been giving so much in terms of effort and have shown improved form in every outing; hopefully they will get the reward they deserve on Saturday, a victory and a place in the quarter-finals,” added Steve.

WFAI Cup Stats 2022 – 2025

2022
First Round
Sligo Rovers w.o., Douglas Hall scr.
DLR Waves 5, Treaty Utd 0

Quarter-Finals
Bohemian FC 3, Sligo Rovers 1
Wexford 3, DLR Waves 1

2023
First Round
Sligo Rovers 11, Bonagee Utd 0
DLR Waves 3, Wexford 3 (DLR Waves won 4-3 on pens)

Quarter-Finals
Bohemian FC 0, Sligo Rovers 1
Shelbourne 2, DLR Waves 1

Semi-Final
Sligo Rovers 0, Athlone Town 4

2024
First Round
Sligo Rovers 5, Terenure Rangers 0
DLR Waves 4, Whitehall Rangers 0

Quarter-Final
DLR Waves 1, Sligo Rovers 3

Semi-Final
Sligo Rovers 0, Athlone Town 1

2025
First Round
Saturday 28th June – Sligo Rovers v DLR Waves, kick-off 3pm, live on LOITV.

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers gave Women’s Premier Division title-chasing Shelbourne an uncomfortable 90 minutes at the Showgrounds on Saturday evening where a Kate Mooney hat-trick sealed victory for the Dublin side.

Leading by two goals midway through the opening half, Shelbourne looked set for a comfortable win, but the Sligo Rovers players hadn’t seen that script and got back into contention with the goal-of-the-game from Anna McDaniel before the interval.

While Shelbourne dictated and enjoyed lots of possession in the second-half, they were also uneasy at times.

That was evident when referee Kate O’Brien ignored pleas for a second-half penalty on the hour that resulted in a yellow card for goalkeeper Amanda McQuillan’s complaints from the other end of the pitch.

There was also a yellow card for Shelbourne defender Keeva Keenan in the closing stages, apparently for time-wasting at a goal-kick.

There was nothing sluggish about Shelbourne for the opening exchanges as they were lively and surged forward, intent on taking control .

Sligo Rovers ‘keeper Bonnie McKiernan made an early save and Cara King had a chance for the Bit O’Red, but was closed down quickly by a Shelbourne rearguard that was controlled by the impressive Pearl Slattery.

Shelbourne remained in the ascendancy and Keeva Flynn made a crucial interception in the sixth minute before Bonnie McKiernan saved from Roma McLaughlin.

After absorbing the Shelbourne onslaught, the Rovers rearguard was penalised and the Dublin side hit the front from a 20^th minute Kate Mooney penalty that just eluded Bonnie McKiernan and trickled into the net.

Mooney put Shelbourne into the comfort zone five minutes later when she claimed her second goal of the afternoon.

However, that comfort zone was only an illusion and the Dublin side had no answer to a mazy Anna McDaniel run on 31 minutes that left the Shelbourne ‘keeper picking the ball out of her net.

Trailing by a goal, the Bit O’Red resumed the second-half smartly and Anna McDaniel was narrowly wide in the 48^th minute.

Shelbourne countered and Mackenzie Anthony was denied by a fine Bonnie McKiernan save, but the crucial third goal arrived in the 65^th minute when Mooney finished from close range for her hat-trick.

Both sides made changes in the closing 20 minutes with Shelbourne substitute Gabriella Del Pico making an impact without hitting the target.

Anna McDaniel had a late chance for the hosts, but was narrowly off target and while the Dublin side deserved the victory, the Sligo Rovers performance will certainly boost confidence for next weekend’s WFAI Cup tie against DLR Waves at the Showgrounds.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Leah Kelly, Sarah Kiernan, Keeva Flynn, Alana Doherty, Eimear Lafferty, Emma Hansberry, Muireann Devaney, Katie Melly, Cara King, Anna McDaniel. Subs – Mairead McIntyre for Doherty 56 mins, Kya McKenna for King 68m, Róise Burke for Kelly, Lauren Devaney for Flynn and Morgan Burnap for Melly all 81m.

Shelbourne – Amanda McQuillan; Keeva Keenan, Nia Hannon, Pearl Slattery, Leah Doyle, Alex Kavanagh, Rachel Graham, Rebecca Devereux, Kate Mooney, Roma McLaughlin, Mackenzie Anthony. Subs – A Clancy for Graham and R Cooke for Devereux both 65 mins, G Del Pico for McLaughlin 71m, M Wollmer for Mooney and G Quinn for Doyle both 75m.

Referee – Kate O’Brien.

Assistant-referees – Shane O’Donoghue, Keenan Deering.

Fourth official – Mark Houlihan.

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers return to action in the Women’s Premier Division at the Showgrounds on Saturday against a Shelbourne side that could go top with a victory if Athlone Town fail to beat Peamount Utd later on Saturday evening.

That’s a big incentive for the Dublin women, but they won’t find it easy against a Sligo Rovers side that has demonstrated tremendous battling qualities despite an injury crisis that has sidelined a number of key players.

Shelbourne will be starting to like the journey to the Showgrounds as they make it back-to-back trips into the North West with a five-goal haul to their credit from the last outing a fortnight ago in the All-Island Cup.

Title-chasing Shelbourne’s top-of-the-table encounter against Athlone Town was rained-off last weekend while the Bit O’Red lost the bottom-of-the-table encounter against DLR Waves at the Carlisle Grounds in Bray.

While the Bit O’Red lost to Shelbourne and DLR Waves, there was a common theme that contributed to those results and that was squandered goal chances.

Against Shelbourne, the Bit O’Red could have had two goals in the opening three minutes and further chances were also wasted while there was a four-goal haul for Noelle Murray.

It was the same pattern against DLR Waves where wasted opportunities in the opening half were punished when the Dublin side scored on the hour and then battened down the hatches against some serious pressure for the remainder.

A return of five goals in 10 outings for the Bit O’Red tells the story, three goals in the WPD and two in the All-Island Cup.

Rachel McGoldrick is the top scorer on two goals, but she hasn’t featured since she equalised in the 1-1 draw against Bohs in April after she sustained an injury in that game.

Injuries have plagued manager Steve Feeney over the past two months, but that is beginning to ease a little now and Katie Melly has returned to the team.

Muireann Devaney is also available this weekend and Lauren Devaney started last Saturday and delivered a solid performance against DLR Waves.

Paula McGrory will miss the Shelbourne game as she will be away with the Garda team in Germany at the European Women’s Police Championships.

The Gardai are in a group that includes Austria, France and Norway. Paula scored a hat-trick for the Garda team when they defeated the Czech Republic last March to qualify for the tournament in Germany this week, but she should be available for next weekend’s WFAI Cup tie against DLR Waves.

The key requirement for Sligo Rovers on Saturday is some goals. The team has consistently created chances in every game this season, finishing some of those chances on Saturday will have a hugely positive impact and will also boost confidence.  

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers failed to capitalise on numerous chances as they were edged out by DLR Waves in the tightly-contested Women’s Premier Division (WPD) encounter at the Carlisle Grounds in Bray on Saturday evening.

DLR substitute Amber Cullen scored with her first touch in the 60th minute after some hesitant defending by the Bit O’Red and that was sufficient as the Dublin women battened down the hatches for the remainder.

DLR survived an onslaught from the Bit O’Red to earn a first win of the season in this basement battle that will see the teams meet again in the WFAI Cup in a fortnight.

Both sides enjoyed periods of dominance in a scoreless opening 45 minutes with DLR’s best chance arriving midway through the half when Michelle Doonan raced through, but she was denied by a Bonnie McKiernan save.

At the other end Leah Kelly and Anna McDaniel missed opportunities for the Bit O’Red on 16 and 18 minutes and that ultimately proved costly.

DLR also looked tentative under the high ball and ‘keeper Eve Badana was fortunate to avoid conceding a goal, but it also required a timely intervention by Lauren Devaney close to the interval to keep the Sligo Rovers goal intact.

DLR Waves enjoyed the better of the early second-half exchanges and were rewarded with that lead goal.

Sligo Rovers countered immediately and Katie Melly had a fine effort saved in the 63rd minute while Bonnie McKiernan denied Michelle Doonan for a second time soon after.

Steve Feeney introduced Muireann Devaney, Paula McGrory and Rebecca McIntyre with about 25 minutes remaining and that saw the pressure increased on the hosts with Anna McDaniel and Emma Hansberry both going close.

However, DLR held on in a frantic four minutes of added time to pick the three points and close the gap on the Bit O’Red at the bottom of the table.

DLR Waves – Eve Badana; Leah Donnelly, Chloe McCarthy, Keelin Dodd,
Jess Gleeson, Rachel Doyle, Neema Nyangasi, Amber Cosgrove, Cliodhna Donnelly, Michelle Doonan, Eve Conheady. Subs – Amber Cullen for Dodd 60 mins, Nadine Cleary for Conheady 78m, Taylor White for Cosgrove and Lauren Strong for Doonan both 85m.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Leah Kelly, Eimear Lafferty, Keeva Flynn, Alana Doherty, Lauren Devaney, Emma Hansberry, Katie Melly, Kya McKenna, Cara King, Anna McDaniel. Subs – Muireann Devaney for Doherty, Paula McGrory for L Devaney and Rebecca McIntyre for McKenna all 68 mins, Róise Burke for Kelly 81m.

Referee – Jason Moore.
Assistant-referees – John Hanney, Conor Harkin.
Fourth official – Christopher Daly.

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers will travel to the Carlisle Grounds in Bray on Saturday for a Women’s Premier Division (WPD) basement battle showdown against DLR Waves on the new FIFA Quality-Approved  artificial grass pitch at the home of Bray Wanderers.

The new pitch had its first outing in the League of Ireland when Bray hosted Dundalk in mid-March after playing the first three games away and Saturday’s encounter will be the first WPD game at the venue as DLR Waves move from the Belfield Bowl for this encounter.

This a huge game for both teams with DLR Waves anchored at the foot of the table with one draw from nine outings, four points adrift of the Bit O’Red, one victory and two draws.

An encouraging aspect for both managers, Steve Feeney and Laura Heffernan of DLR Waves, has been a gradual improvement in respective performances over the past month or so with DLR picking up a point last time out in the WPD with a 1-1 draw against Cork City.

However, DLR will go into this game on the back of two home defeats in the All-Island Cup against Wexford and Lisburn.

This game will also be a dress-rehearsal for the first round of the FAI Cup a fortnight later at the Showgrounds, but that will be of secondary importance on Saturday.

Last season the Bit O’Red defeated DLR Waves by 3-1 in the FAI Cup with goals from Anna McDaniel, Kelsey Munroe and Paula McGrory, but the Dublin women won both WPD encounters.

For the Bit O’Red, the outcome will most definitely be influenced by player-availability with manager Steve Feeney still without Kate Nugent, Amber Hardy, Jessica Casey and Rachel McGoldrick who are all on the injured list while Paula McGrory feature.

The return to action last week of Katie Melly for the final 15 minutes in the All-Island Cup was a boost and if she is fit to start on Saturday it will certainly bolster the prospects at the Bray venue.

Neither side is too proficient on the scoring front. DLR Waves have hit the target nine times in all competitions, but have conceded 41 goals while the Bit O’Red have scored five goals and conceded 28, but in 12 outings have also kept three cleansheets.

Battling qualities have been evident on a weekly basis from the Bit O’Red and that was demonstrated last weekend where a five-goal deficit against Shelbourne wasn’t a fair reflection on the overall performance, but an inability to convert some gilt-edged chances was a major issue.

There won’t be much to separate the teams on Saturday in what will be a hugely competitive encounter and the team that makes the least amount of mistakes is likely to emerge with a victory.