Galway United 5

DLR Waves 1

By Mike Rafferty in Eamonn Deacy Park

It certainly wasn’t pretty early on, as Galway United Women got their league campaign under way at Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday evening, but eventually they got their act together to run out convincing and merited winners.

Manager Phil Trill described their opening half performance as “nervous”: indeed, the difference between the performance in the two halves was like night and day, for while they went in at the break one down after playing poorly, they certainly turned matters around on the resumption with a five goal blast.

It was a productive outing for Aisling Meaney and Emma Doherty who both scored a brace, while Amanda Smith notched the fifth as the Dublin visitors were continuously exposed on the resumption.

There were some notable departures from the United dressing room in the off-season, and as a three new signings made their debut on Saturday. Nicole Nix was given the nod in the goalkeeping position, while the vastly experienced Niamh Farrelly slotted into midfield.

Up front, Ceola Bergin started in an attack that certainly looked threatening once they got to the pace of the game.

Meaney was one of the game’s outstanding performers in the opening half as her pace and skills had left-back Chloe McCarthy in all sorts of difficulties. Her creativity and that of Smith and Doherty should have ensured a more progressive reward, but the half just lacked something to spark it off from a home point of view.

In fairness, DLR Waves offered more of an attacking threat than expected as Nadine Clare, Keelin Dodd, and Michelle Doonan were all prominent. Doonan was denied by a post on 18 minutes, before Abigail Brophy had an effort saved by Nix.

Doherty was a prolific scorer with Sligo Rovers, and she looked busy and sharp. On three occasions in that first half she threatened a breakthrough, but was denied by Eve Bandana. Smith and Bergin also offered a cutting edge, but just lacked a finish in that opening half.

The game was turned on its head on 33 minutes when DLR Waves were awarded a penalty when Therese Kinnevey fouled Brophy in the box, and Amber Cosgrove put the visitors 1-0 up with a blast down the middle of the goal.

Whatever was said in the United dressing room at half-time will probably stay between the four walls, but at least the girls were listening. They were on the front foot form the first whistle of the second-half, and just three minutes in were denied the most blatant penalty you could ever see.

As Doherty latched on to a Smith pass she was upended in the box by McCarthy about 10 yards out. However, instead of pointing to the penalty spot, referee Chris Daly booked Doherty for diving and awarded a free out. Mind boggling.

That injustice appeared to have stirred some emotions in the home side as they took a grip on the game thereafter and never let go. They levelled matters on 55 minutes when Doherty gathered an Aoibheann Costello throw in and provided a deep cross that Meaney finished for 1-1.

She almost added another immediately, but shot weakly at Bandana. The lead goal was not far away, as Bergin and Smith combined to set up Doherty and from close range the Inishowen native made it 2-1 on the hour mark.

Pictured: Amanda Smith (17) and Niamh Farrelly of Galway United contest an aerial ball with the DLR Waves trio of Keelin Dodd, Cliodhna Donnelly and Nadine Clare. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.