All Island Cup Final Report

Galway United secured back to back silverware with a 4-3 win on penalties in what was another tight contest against Shamrock Rovers in the Avenir Sports All-Island Cup Final.

Christine Allen reports from Tallaght Stadium

Under the glare of the national stadium’s floodlights, the All-Island Cup final went right down to the wire following a scoreless 90 minutes that was anything but uneventful.

Speaking post match to TG4, Phil Trill was honest in his summation of how the cup final played out, acknowledging that Rovers were better than the Tribeswomen in spells.

His words will serve as no salve for the Dublin 24 women, who dominated in the opening 45’ and kept the United forwards in check, but were just shy of converting in the final third.

It was very nearly a case of saving the best till last, when in the 86th minute substitute Stephanie Zambra fired a bullet low and to the right.

Goal minder Jessica Berlin was quick to react, her parry spinning the ball off the post and keeping one hand firmly on the cup for United.

The visitors' travelling contingent generated an electric atmosphere at Tallaght, chants of ‘United’ ringing out to the rhythmic banging of a drum - a generous number of both home and away supporters occupying opposite ends of the West Stand.

The orange notes of the TG4 production team were a familiar sight as both sets of players trotted out from the tunnel - Rovers in their striped green and white with United sporting their traditional maroon.

The Hoops looked to have found the antidote to United’s press as they applied their own pressure from the get go - Aine O’Gorman, Fiona Owens and Maria Reynolds swarming Julie-Ann-Russell on the right.

In the opening minutes Joy Ralph, who was a credit to her club throughout the full 90', utilised her strength to great effect to keep Jamie Erickson at bay, before switching the ball to Fiona Owens on the right.

Owens played a deft pass beyond Eve Dossen to send her skipper through - O’Gormans first time strike winning the home side the first corner kick of the final.

The set piece cleared, Lia O’Leary swirled a follow up cross into the box that sailed dangerously close to Berlin’s top corner.

Jessica Hennessy, Reynolds and Shauna Fox were unphased as they worked as a cohesive unit at the back and neutralised the threat of Russell, Kinnevey and Slattery.

Up top for Rovers Ralph continued to rove and use her strength to dispossess.

Owens manufactured acres of space on the right with her positional awareness and would sweep inviting balls into the box, linking with Ralph who’s physicality and pace brought Amy Madden a world of pain.

Eve Dossen was formidable for the visitors and as the minutes ticked towards half-time you sensed that the wind could turn as Isabella Beletic and Ralph duelled - the Greenhills native pushing with all her might to find a chink in United’s backline.

Galway looked to have found their bearings in the second half and had a decent spell of possession - both Kate Thompson and Erickson delivering balls over the top for Russell to chase.

An Erickson long ball towards the senior Irish international fell to Rolake Olusola who showed deft control before switching it to Kinnevey.

Kinnevey’s first time cross with the side of her boot sailed longingly towards Russell, who’s eyes never left the ball.

Reynolds, ever the reliable, did just enough within the rules of the game to force Russell off course and prevent a near certain net invader.

The Hoops then restarted their motor as O’Leary, in Need For Speed Hot Pursuit style tore down the left channel - her strike on her preferred left in the 62nd from an obtuse angle just shaving the crossbar.

Dossen and Ralph continued to bump shoulders as the number 19 persevered on the right but Erickson and Beletic rallied to keep The Hoops at bay.

Aislinn Meaney and Aoibheann Costello entered the fray fifteen minutes into the restart and made an immediate impact, Costello adding value at left wing back in both defence and attack.

The University of Limerick student almost found an opener worthy of the camera’s in the 72nd with her signature stop and pop from the lip of the box.

Her strike towards the top corner had Budden beaten but cracked off the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the feet of Herron who hoofed it clear.

The final was destined to go to penalties, the game ending in a scoreless draw despite the five minutes of injury time awarded.

Zambra stepped up to take the first and converted cleanly, rifling the ball into the bottom left for The Hoops.

Kinnevey converted for the Tribeswomen, followed by O’Gorman and Thompson.

2-2

Tallaght was now on a knife edge.

A.Kelly swept the ball into the bottom left for Rovers before United’s top goal scorer Slattery saw her penalty saved.

Budden’s roar of “Cmon!” could be heard from the West Stand as the cup engravers pens began to twitch.

Yet the shootout would take a heartbreaking turn for Rovers.

Ralph, who, having clinched The Hoops final spot with her rocket at Tolka, struck the ball to the right in what was almost a mirror of Slattery’s penalty.

The emotion was evident on Berlin’s face as she celebrated and Ralph was comforted by her teammates. 

Meaney showed no mercy and levelled the shootout for Galway.

Scarlett Herron’s hands flew to her head the second the ball left her boot - the ball careening high and over the crossbar.

It was then left to the industrious Erickson to win the cup for United.

Unhurried, the number 5 composed herself and placed the ball into the bottom right to secure back to back All-Island Cup victories for Phil Trill.