Women’s FAI Cup: Shelbourne and Athlone Town set up repeat decider after semi-final wins
Defending champions Shelbourne beat Shamrock Rovers 2-0 at Tallaght Stadium while Athone win 4-0 away to Sligo Rovers
Daire Walsh
Defending champions Shelbourne and Athlone Town will meet in the Women’s FAI Cup decider for the second year running following their respective semi-final triumphs at the expense of Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers on Saturday.
On a day when their quest for a third consecutive SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division title was brought to an end – a 2-0 win over Wexford Youths at Ferrycarrig Park handed Peamount United the league crown – Shels were hoping to remain in the frame for back-to-back cup successes.
While Christie Gray and Libby Moore went close to breaking the deadlock against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium, Lia O’Leary hit the side-netting for the Hoops during the early exchanges.
The hosts defeated Shels on a scoreline of 3-1 in a league encounter seven days earlier, but this game was scoreless at the break. It didn’t stay that way for long, however, as Gray headed Noel King’s outfit into the lead on 51 minutes from Megan Smyth-Lynch’s enticing cross from the right wing.
This threw down the gauntlet to a Rovers side that featured former international stars Stephanie Zambra and Áine O’Gorman, but Shels sealed their 2-0 victory when Hannah Healy capitalised on a defensive error to slot home with 14 minutes remaining.
The away team also prospered on the opposite side of the draw as a Madison Gibson-inspired Athlone secured a 4-0 triumph over Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds.
A native of the United States, Gibson got the Westmeath outfit up and running by drilling a penalty to the top corner on the half-hour mark. This offered last year’s first-time finalists significant breathing space, before Gibson’s deflected finish moved them two goals clear at the interval.
This put Athlone in pole position for another showpiece appearance, but subsequent goals from Jesi Lynn Rossman and Róisín Molloy in the second half ensured they advanced in fine style.