Cork City out to upset title-chasing Galway United

Cork City Women will return to league action in the Women’s Premier Division with a game against Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park this Saturday,  5pm.

The Rebel Army will travel west after a two-week break, following their 2-0 defeat to Bohemians at Dalymount Park.

That result kept Craig Robinson and his players stuck in the basement with just eight points collected from 18 games.

The Rebel Army have only beaten two teams this season, Sligo Rovers and Waterford FC, and drawn with DLR Waves at home and at Belfield.

Galway United will be a step up to anything the team has faced in recent weeks as Phil Thrill’s side are third in table, ten points from league leaders Athlone Town.

The Maroon Army are used to competing at this level, despite joining the Women’s Premier Division in 2023, given that the club has already won two trophies and managed successive top-four finishes.

Galway have also never lost to Cork City, a run that goes back to their first ever away game in March 2023.

This season has been no different following meetings in the Avenir Sports All Island Cup and Women’s Premier Division.

It started at Moynevilla and Amanda Smith opened the scoring in just the eighth minute. 

Isabella Beletic doubled their advantage before the break and City used the time that was left to give first-team exposure to Amy McCarthy, Heidi O’Sullivan, and Lauren Healy.

The two teams met the following week at Turner’s Cross for a league game and it finished 4-2 to Galway United.

The Rebel Army gave everything on the day even took the lead through Zoey Finnerty. Niamh Farrelly equalised and Ava Mullins poked the Tribeswomen in front in the 50th minute, and Ellie O’Brien ensured parity by converting a penalty.

Galway United got the win through goals from Jodie Griffin and Aislinn Meaney, who hit the back of the net in the dying seconds at the Shed End.

STRENGTHENED

The Maroon Army have strengthened since then through the signing of Cork City academy graduate and Bandon native Niamh Cotter. The Republic of Ireland underage international made the move at the beginning of the summer transfer window, after two years with the first-team at Turner’s Cross under Danny Murphy and Frank Kelleher.

The Tribeswomen also have Aoibhin Donnelly in their ranks, following her spells with Cork City and University College Cork. The familiarity goes the other way as Griffin is now on the books at Turner’s Cross after joining from Galway during the summer.

The connections will mean very little on Saturday when City walk out at Eamonn Deacy Park and look to record their best away result in years. There’s always a possibility that something like that will happen, the problem is the odds haven’t been with Robinson’s side this year.

Their league position is proof to that, while Galway’s is a testament to getting it right in such a short period of time.