By Conall Collier
Sligo Rovers will host bottom-of-the-table Cork City in what is likely to produce an intense Women’s Premier Division (WPD) encounter at the Showgrounds on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.
Maximum points will be the target for both teams, and eight previous WPD meetings have produced 26 goals, with the Bit O’Red winning on four occasions with only one draw, and that produced six goals.
The Bit O’Red leapfrogged Cork last Saturday with a first away win of the season, while the Munster side lost at Turner’s Cross against a title-chasing Shelbourne side that moved to the top of the table on goal difference ahead of Athlone Town.
Understandably, the main focus for the remainder of the season will be on the battle for the 2025 WPD title, but the contest at the foot of the table will be even more intense for the bottom four with just eight games remaining for the quartet of Sligo Rovers, Cork City, Waterford and DLR Waves.
Those four teams are separated by only three points, and the remaining results between them could determine the finishing positions at the foot of the table.
The Sligo Rovers players will take lots of positives into Saturday’s game following that 2-0 first away win of the season last weekend against a Waterford side that finished with 10 players following a first-half red card, with goals from Emma Hansberry and Alana Doherty.
Leading at the interval through Emma Hansberry, Sligo Rovers were reasonably comfortable in the second half. Substitutes Paula McGrory and Bernie Ferreira both made solid contributions, and Alana Doherty added the crucial second goal with about 25 minutes remaining.
The Wehrly Bros player-of-the-month for July, Kya McKenna, could have added a third goal near the end, but the Waterford ‘keeper blocked her effort; however, she will be eager to find the net this weekend if she gets the chance.
Scoring has been a challenge for the Bit O’Red until recent weeks, but they got two goals against Galway for a 2-0 advantage only to concede in the second half at Eamon Deacy Park, but two more goals last Saturday.
The tally now stands at 12 goals in all competitions this season, with six goals in the last four outings and also four clean sheets.
Players returning from injury gave manager Steve Feeney extra options, and that was evident last Saturday as Rachel McGoldrick and Leah Kelly made the starting 11.
McGoldrick returned for the first time since she sustained an injury at the end of April, and Leah Kelly had missed the previous two outings but was influential on her return. Katie Melly was also on the injured list earlier in the season but has now slotted effectively into a more defensive role.
However, Cork City will take plenty of positives from last Saturday’s performance against Shelbourne, where they were certainly worthy of taking at least a point but ended up on the wrong side of a 2-0 scoreline.
Áine Walsh was denied by the post, while Amy McCarthy, Eva Mangan and Ellie O’Brien all had chances against Shelbourne, but the ball just wouldn’t go into the net. The Dublin side scored midway through the first half but had to wait until the 88th minute for a second goal that came from the penalty spot.
Despite a sequence of 13 games without a win, the Cork City players have produced some encouraging performances and enjoyed a 4-0 victory against the Bit O’red at Turner’s Cross last March.
On that occasion, two goals in each half gave Cork City an opening win of the season at the expense of a Sligo Rovers side that also missed a 94th-minute penalty.
Two goals from Christina Dring and one each by Aoibhin Donnelly and Ciara Fitzpatrick sealed the win.
Despite that scoreline, the Bit O’Red created numerous opportunities, but it was one of those days when nothing went right. Paula McGrory had a chance on 36 minutes, but her effort on the turn went wide, while Rachel McGoldrick and Muireann Devaney both went close.
Katie Melly was denied in the 75th minute when her free kick from 30 yards thundered off the Cork City crossbar, while Alana Doherty and Keeva Flynn also had chances.
End-to-end action is anticipated with the game live on LOITV, kick-off at 3pm.