Galway United 4

Glentoran 0

Mike Rafferty  at Eamonn Deacy Park

THE margin of victory was eventually comprehensive, but it took Galway United Women a long time to seal their win in this All-Island Cup tie at Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday evening.

An early Kate Thompson goal gave them a solid start, before three goals in the closing ten minutes ensured United made it back to back wins in a competition in which they are the holders.

This victory seals United’s qualification for the knock-out stages, and their meeting with Athlone Town in their last group game will determine who finishes top after the midland side also registered their second win with a 2-1 success over Sligo Rovers at the weekend.

Despite the ongoing success of the side, manager Phil Trill continues to change his starting eleven as he gives some of the extended squad and younger players game time. On this occasion, he made four switches as Jessica Berlin returned to goal in place of Maria O’Sullivan, while Lucy Grant, Aisling Meaney and Jodie Griffin all started as Aoibheann Costello, Jamie Erickson and Rola Olusola took a watching brief on this occasion.

Despite Thompson’s 11th minute goal following a corner, the Belfast visitors showed that they could certainly play as they enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening quarter.

However, they seldom put Berlin’s goal under threat as the new back four with Thompson now positioned in central defence were as dominant as ever as they kept their fifth clean sheet in six outings.

Now maybe it was also one of those slow attacking days from United’s point of view for, despite the workrate of Julie Ann Russell and Aislinn Meaney, little was happening in the last third of the park. Eve Dossen did get on the end of a Jenna Slattery set piece, but headed over, while Thompson followed that up with another off target effort.

Pictured: Galway United’s Julie-Ann Russell who impressed in their Women’s All-Island Cup victory over Glentoran at Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday.