New Athlone manager's first league game ends in victory
Athlone Town 2 Sligo Rovers
John Dingle
Action resumed in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division following the break for the World Cup as Athlone Town entertained struggling Sligo Rovers last Saturday evening.
The home team had little difficulty in returning to winning ways and the final scoreline does not do justice to the Town’s dominance. Both goals came in the opening half as Dana Scheriff broke the deadlock after 28 minutes with a second goal arriving just before the break from Chloe Singleton.
It was a fixture which saw new Athlone boss Ciaran Kilduff got off to a winning start his first competitive league game.
Sligo kept Athlone at bay in the second half but aside from a brief spell, they rarely threatened to reduce the deficit.
Without a competitive game since early July, both teams looked short of match practice with little action in the opening stages. Athlone were dominant but could not make the breakthrough until close to the half hour mark. The Town had lost four of their last five league games but the visit of Sligo afforded them the opportunity of getting a vital win.
Lauren Karabin, signed earlier in the week, was straight into the starting line-up with a number of other recent acquisitions on the bench.
Sligo may have had only one win to their credit in the league but were proving dogged opponents as they kept Athlone at bay. They were limited in their ambition and concentrated on keeping it tight.
It took some trickery on the right to finally unhinge the Reds’ rearguard after 28 minutes. Roisin Molloy showed neat footwork to get to the endline and deliver a cross into the penalty area. Scheriff did well to get ahead of her marker and fire to the net from close range past former Athlone keeper Bonnie McKiernan.
The lead was doubled after 43 minutes from a corner. Gibson sent in the delivery and, although Chloe Singleton’s header was blocked, it was deemed to have crossed the line and a goal was awarded.
The three points gained keeps Athlone comfortably in a mid-table position and provides a confidence booster ahead of the FAI Cup game at home to Galway next Saturday.
Athlone Town: Katie Keane, Kayleigh Shine, Shauna Brennan, Gillian Keenan, Muireann Devaney, Dana Scheriff, Chloe Singleton, Kellie Brennan, Lauren Karabin, Roisin Molloy, Madison Gibson. Subs: Lucy Jane Grant and Kate Slevin for S Brennan and K Brennan (68 mins); Isabel Ryan for Scheriff (89).
Sligo Rovers: Bonnie McKiernan, Leah Kelly, Emma Doherty, Casey Howe, Katie Melly, Keri Loughery, Eimear Lafferty, Jodie Loughrey, Sarah Kiernan, Alice Lillie, Kate Nugent. Subs: Keeva Flynn for Kiernan (34 mins); Amy Hyndman and Helen Monaghan for Melly and Lillie (58); Ciara Henry and Jessica Casey for Lafferty and Nugent (69).
Referee: Jason Moore (Kilkenny).