CORK CITY WFC boss Danny Murphy was left to rue the concession of ‘sloppy goals’ as his side suffered a 3-0 defeat to DLR Waves in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division at the UCD Bowl last Saturday.

Looking to build on an encouraging display in the previous weekend’s reversal to Galway United in Turner’s Cross, the Leesiders were left with an uphill task following a difficult opening to the contest.

After Joy Ralph found the net from long-range for Waves with just three minutes on the clock, the hosts doubled their lead just six minutes later when Katie Malone headed home an Isobel Finnegan corner from the right-flank.

“We tried to play, but we gave up two sloppy goals very early on and then you’ve got a mountain to climb. I think we didn’t start well enough.

“One of our objectives in the game today was to make sure we start well and not get caught on the ball in midfield.

“It’s a sandy pitch, get the ball into wide areas.

“We get caught in a central area with the ball and then they score from it,” Murphy acknowledged.

“Then we concede from a corner, where we’ve got enough players around it to deal with the corner.

“We just pass it on to someone else and don’t go and deal with it.

“I think we were just sloppy to start off with. We changed it up a bit, to bring players on to try and change the game a bit.

“We had some good opportunities, but we’re just sloppy with the ball in the final-third.”

Before Waves wrapped up the points with a third goal in the closing stages, Laura Shine had a neat finish disallowed for offside on 53 minutes.

This could have dramatically altered the eventual outcome and Murphy believes this was an unfair call against his charges.

“Looking back on the video, she’s at least a yard onside.

“I think there was a couple of times within the game where the flag went up far too early.

“I’m standing in line and they’re not offside. It’s a poor decision and it costs you in the end because you could be back in the game,” Murphy added.

“We might not have been, but I think if you get back to 2-1 you give yourself every opportunity to go and try and get another goal. It’s frustrating.

“You could see how hard it was for the girls. Once it goes in, it’s deflating really, but we’ve got a lot to do.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do.”