Sligo Rovers women head for Limerick on Saturday and a first Women’s National League (WNL) assignment at the Market’s Field against bottom-of-the-table Treaty Utd.
The Bit O’Red players have achieved three wins on the pitch, one of those was at home to Treaty Utd last month when two super strikes from Aoife Brennan and one from Emma Doherty gave Sligo Rovers a first home win (3-1).
Rovers recovered from the concession of a Leah Kelly own goal in the 11th minute that gave Treaty Utd the lead on that occasion.
Last Saturday Treaty lost against Athlone Town (1-4), but there were similarities in the Limerick side’s performance and Sligo’s display three weeks earlier when the Bit O’Red lost 0-5.
In each game Athlone were awarded and scored two penalties, but to their credit, Treaty managed a goal against the Westmeath women and that statistic alone should prompt manager Steve Feeney to adopt a cautious approach to the Limerick assignment.
Granted, Treaty’s goal was also a penalty, scored by Héidí O’Sullivan, a goal that brought her side back into contention briefly in the second-half.
Treaty manager Don O’Riordan will have his team well prepared for the visit of the Bit O’Red and will be eager to get something out of the game, but the Sligo Rovers will be focused on picking up another three points.
“We will be confident going to Limerick, confident in the sense that we have produced good performances back-to-back and if we can do the same again, then we have a chance of another win,” stated Feeney.
“Treaty haven’t won a game yet, but they are not going to go through the season like that, they will beat someone, we just have to make sure that we are on our game, if we aren’t, then we will be in trouble.
“Treaty gave us a good game here in the Showgrounds although we won by 3-1, they will approach the game positively and they have nothing to lose anyway, they will work us hard.
“Our players won’t get carried away with the win against Cork last Saturday, they have learned that there are no easy games in the WNL and they don’t expect anything easy in Limerick either,” he added.
One noticeable trait in the performances of Sligo Rovers each week has been the ability within the squad to find some improvement from the previous game and Feeney highlighted one particular aspect.
“From a fitness perspective, the players have improved, but that was to be expected when you have a team starting out in the League for the first time, we have made progress and, for the most part, have improved from game-to-game.
“We have to keep doing that, there is always something that we can work on at training and then we have to bring that to the game each week.
“Against Cork City last Saturday, we started really well, the second-half was more of a disciplined, defensive performance and that was pleasing to see as it’s something we have worked on at training.
“It was great to see Gemma (McGuinness) and Emma (Doherty) linking up for the first goal against Cork, it must be one of the quickest of the season, 40 seconds I think it was.
“We also kept a clean sheet and that was crucial, if we can keep another clean sheet this weekend, maybe get another early goal, then we will have a good chance of getting something out of the game,” he concluded.
TEAMS AND SUBS LAST TIME
Sligo Rovers – Amy Mahon; Leah Kelly, Ruth Monaghan, Orna O’Dowd, Gemma McGuinness, Lauren Boles, Emma Doherty, Aoife Brennan, Amy Roddy, Katie Melly, Sarah Kiernan. Subs – Paula McGrory for Brennan 70 mins, Jessica Casey for Melly 68m, Kerri O’Hara for Kelly and Amy Hyndman for Doherty both 83m.
Treaty Utd – Michaela Mitchell; Alix Mendez, Emma Deegan, Alannah Mitchell, Lauren Keane, Jesse Mendez, Heidi O’Sullivan, Emma Costelloe, Michaela Lawrence, Emily O’Halloran, Laoise Brown. Subs – Cara Griffin for Costelloe 65 mins, Shannon O’Donovan for A Mendez 68m, Eimear Carey for Brown 84m.
FIXTURES – SATURDAY 28th MAY
Treaty Utd v Sligo Rovers
Bohemian FC v Peamount Utd
Cork City v Shelbourne
Wexford v Athlone
DLR Waves v Galway
There are three more rounds before the mid-season break which is from Sunday 12th June – Friday 1st July.