Quinn’s first-half hat-trick put City on the backfoot
SHELBOURNE…………………………3
CORK CITY…………………………….0
Daire Walsh
A first-half hat-trick from Jemma Quinn was the highlight at a sunny Tolka Park on Saturday afternoon as a much-changed Cork City were defeated in comprehensive fashion by Shelbourne in Group B of the Women’s All-Island Cup.
Having come into this game with a realistic shot at making the knockout rounds of this competition for a second consecutive season – after sharing the spoils with Wexford Youths in their opening game of the group – this now appears to be an unlikely prospect for City.
From the starting line-up that secured a credible 1-1 draw with DLR Waves at the UCD Bowl seven days earlier, goalkeeper Clodagh Fitzgerald and defender Niamh Cotter were the only players retained for this fixture by City boss Danny Murphy.
Shels manager Eoin Wearen also made a significant number of alterations from his side’s recent scoreless draw with Shamrock Rovers, but it took them just 12 minutes to break the deadlock – the aforementioned Quinn getting on the end of a precise Leah Doyle delivery on the left-flank.
This was an early blow for City and their chances of success in this game suffered a further blow when Quinn raced on to a superb through-ball by Noelle Murray and fired coolly beyond the reach of Fitzgerald from a one-on-one situation.
Following a brief injury stoppage just past the first-quarter mark, the elusive Quinn once again finished off an intricate attacking move to ensure she had completed her hat-trick by the 25th minute. City were finding it difficult to assert their authority their authority at either end of the pitch, though it was hoped that the introduction of Laura Shine on the half-hour might help to address this issue.
City did become more competitive upon Shine’s arrival, but they remained 3-0 adrift as the opening period drew to a close. Heidi Mackin and Aoibhin Donnelly were also added to the mix by Murphy on the resumption, while Kiera Sena and Aoife Robinson also joined them on as the second half wore on.
Having gone close to securing a fourth goal through the likes of Noelle Murray and Hannah Healy, Shels also looked towards the bench in advance of the final quarter.
Starting City midfielder Barrett Edison fired over the opposition crossbar from close range with nine minutes of normal time remaining and while a consolation goal didn’t materialise, the visitors could at least take some solace from an improved second period display ahead of their Premier Division clash away to Sligo Rovers next Saturday.
SHELBOURNE: Amanda McQuillan; Jess Gargan, Pearl Slattery, Nia Hannon; Lucy O’Rourke, Maggie Pierce (Nadine Clare 70), Mia Dodd, Leah Doyle (Kerri Letmon 61); Noelle Murray (Rachel Graham 61), Jemma Quinn (Rebecca Devereux 61), Hannah Healy (Katie McCarn 70).
CORK CITY: Clodagh Fitzgerald; Lauren Walsh, Niamh Cotter (Heidi Mackin 46), Ciara McNamara, Shaunagh McCarthy; Barrett Eidson, Jesse Mendez; Erin O’Brien (Laura Shine 30), Christina Dring (Kiera Sena 61), Chloe Atkinson (Aoibhi Donnelly 46); Heidi O’Sullivan (Aoife Robinson 61).
Referee: Alan Franklin (Wexford).