Galway United win All-Island Cup after dramatic penalty shootout

CHAMPIONS: Jessica Berlin of Galway lifts the trophy. Picture:  ©INPHO/James Lawlor

All-Island Cup final: Shamrock Rovers 0 Galway United 0 (Galway win 4-3 on penalties)

Holders Galway United retained their Avenir All-Island title with a dramatic penalty shootout win over Shamrock Rovers, as Jamie Erickson showed nerves of steel to sweep home the winning spot-kick.

With the potential title decider earlier in the day serving as a perfect starter to the main course, it was time for the big one on the other side of Dublin as both teams played out a dramatic showpiece in front of an exuberant 1,347 supporters.

The drama started even before kick-off when referee Alan Patchell was injured in the warmup and had to be replaced by fourth official Jason Moore and once the action kickoff it was the home side who made most of the early running.

Both Lia O’Leary and Fiona Owens out wide looked to take advantage of a narrow Galwegian midfield but it took until just after a quarter of an hour for the game to really open up.

Following a desperate scramble in the area, the ball eventually fell kindly to Melissa O’Kane but was bravely by Jessica Berlin who did well to get down sharply.

The Cup holders flew straight down the other end and were agonisingly close to getting themselves in front when Kate Thompson could only get an outstretched leg on Amy Madden’s deep cross, as the ball looped over the bar.

Tensions reached boiling point just before the break when Irish International Julie-Ann Russell seemed to nudge Shauna Fox in the back as the ball trickled over the sideline, and as Russell ran off was then pushed to the ground by Fox’s center back partner Jessica Hennessy as the ref did the sensible thing, talking to both to defuse the situation.

A scrappy second half ensued with both sets of players going full-blooded into every challenge and took until just after the hour mark for the next shot in anger as Lia O’leary showed tremendous pace and strength to burst into the box and shoot straight at Berlin as the angle just narrowed.

This seemed to lift Phil Trill’s side as they went the closest to opening the scoring when substitute Aoibheann Costello picked up a deep cross from Rolake Olusola, and bent a lovely curling effort crashing off the crossbar and away to safety.

With penalties looming, Stephanie Zambra was then unleashed with just minutes remaining, and almost made a stunning impact with her first touches, as she then hit the frame of the goal with a 25-yard thunderbolt.

Both sides took some quality penalties in the shoot-out as both keepers made top saves, but the trophy is heading back out west thanks to Erickson cool head and nerves of steel to slot home the winning penalty after the desperately unlucky Scarlett Herron skied her teams fifth effort from 12-yards.

Two league matches were also contested on Saturday.

Athlone Town moved top of the women’s national league by coming from behind to beat their fellow title challengers 2-1 through a late Kerryann Brown penalty.

Only goal difference divided the teams prior to kick-off and the tensity gave way to concern when Chloe Singleton suffered a serious injury just past the half-hour that required surgery later in the evening.

Three minutes after Singleton’s removal from the pitch by stretcher, Jemma Quinn volleyed the 2022 double winners ahead.

Athlone, who beat Shels in last year’s FAI Cup final, soon regrouped and drew level in stoppage time at the end of the first half when Brenda Tabe profited from defensive hesitancy to beat Amanda McQuillan despite being initially denied.

Chances fell to both sides but with a minute remaining Shauna Brennan was hauled down by the goalkeeper, cueing up Brown to blast the spot-kick home. 

Ciaran Kilduff’s side take possession of their title destiny with six games of the season remaining.

Fourth versus fifth resulted in a 1-1 at Ferrycarrig Park, as Áine Walsh’s 13th-minute breakthrough for hosts Wexford was cancelled out by Becky Watkins four minutes before the interval.

Shamrock Rovers: Amanda Budden; Maria Reynolds, Jessica Hennessy, Shauna Fox; Fiona Owens (Stephanie Zambra, 86’), Melissa O’Kane, Aoife Kelly, Scarlett Herron, Lia O’Leary (Ella Kelly, 78’); Aine O’Gorman, Joy Ralph 

Subs not used: Summer Lawless, Savannah McCarthy, Lauren Kelly, Alannah Prizeman, Jamie Thompson, Anna Butler, Katie O’Reilly 

Galway United: Jessica Berlin; Therese Kinnevey, Jamie Erickson, Eve Dossen, Amy Madden (Aoibheann Costello, 62’); Isabella Beletic, Kate Thompson, Jenna Slattery; Rolake Olusola (Amanda Smith, 85’), Julie-Ann Russell, Lynsey McKey (Aislinn Meaney, 62’) 

Subs not used: Kaylee Hammer, Lucy Jayne Grant, Emily Kavanaugh, Abbie Callanan, Roisin Jacob, Emma Duffy