Rebels swept away by Waves
SOCCER
Daire Walsh
UCD WAVES…………………………………….. 4
CORK CITY WFC…………………………………. 0
THERE was disappointment for Cork City WFC at Jackson Park yesterday afternoon, as a star-studded UCD Waves ensured that they were on the receiving end of a 4-0 defeat in a Women’s National League Shield Group A encounter.
Niall O’Regan’s charges were hoping to build on an impressive victory over the newly-formed Kilkenny United last week, but they suffered a massive set-back with less than two minutes gone in the action. UCD skipper Aine O’Gorman was picked out inside the area, and once she found room to shoot off her favoured right-foot, she fired past Cork netminder Trish Fennelly in clinical style.
This was the kind of start that the visitors were aiming to avoid but, to their credit, they responded positively to this hammer blow. Straight from the restart, Ciara Desmond raced on to a precise pass into the home team’s box, but UCD shotstopper Caoimhe O’Reilly displayed great agility by coming off her line to make a vital interception.
City took encouragement from this attack, though, and after lashing over from close-range on seven minutes, Desmond’s front-line partner Saoirse Noonan forced a fine save from O’Reilly via a well-worked Stacey Paul set-piece delivery. The Leesiders were certainly keeping Eileen Gleeson’s side on their toes.
Julie Ann Russell offered a constant threat to the Cork defence from the right-wing, and after Fennelly fumbled her cross into the danger zone 11 minutes before the interval, Waves midfielder Karren Duggan comfortably finished into an empty net. Cork were somewhat unfortunate to be facing into a two-goal deficit during the half-time break, but Susan Hartnett’s 48th-minute red-card for a mistimed tackle on the raiding Desmond offered them a timely-boost.
This numerical advantage did provide Cork with a platform to build on but UCD effectively placed the tie beyond their reach on 51 minutes.
Russell broke free on the left-wing and O’Gorman was perfectly placed to turn home her inch-perfect delivery.
This certainly deflated the challenge of Cork, who introduced striker Katie McCarthy in place of right-back Nathalie O’Brien.
Yet, it was UCD who continued to produce the greater attacking threat and Fennelly came to her side’s rescue on a number of occasions. The City custodian turned away goal-bound efforts from O’Gorman (twice) and substitute Rebekah Carroll, before being beaten again just past the hour.
A sublime curling strike by Irish international Russell increased the UCD cushion, and moving towards the final-quarter, it was becoming a damage limitation exercise for Cork. They did persevere with their challenge in the closing stages, and Catherine Cooke hit the target from distance at the end of normal time but UCD ran out comfortable winners.
UCD WAVES: Caoimhe O’Reilly; Ciara Grant, Ali O’Brien, Susan Hartnett, Niamh Prior (Emily Cahill 83); Julie Ann Russell, Chloe Mustaki, Karen Duggan, Catherin Cronin (Rebekah Carroll 50); Orlagh Nolan (Jetta Berrill 63); Aine O’Gorman.
CORK CITY WFC: Trish Fennelly; Nathalie O’Brien (Kate McCarthy 54), Zoe Murphy, Angie Carry, Ciara McNamara; Rebecca Walsh, Stacey Paul (Shannon Carson 69), Barbara O’Connell (Tara O’Gorman 63), Catherine Cooke; Saoirse Noonan, Ciara Desmond.
Referee: Paula Brady (Dublin).