Rovers may have lost the battle...but there's still a war to win

In the opening minutes of the LOITV broadcast, Galway United’s in-house commentator described the Round 15 league fixture against Shamrock Rovers Women as a ‘dress rehearsal’ - referring of course to the All-Island Cup Final next weekend at Tallaght Stadium.

And what a competitive dry run it was.

A Jenna Slattery slam from the penalty spot was all that separated East from West as United earned bragging rights with another narrow 1-0 win over The Hoops.

To the Rovers Women, Galway United are akin to that one particularly difficult level on a game console that requires a number of attempts to crack.

Given that possession was evenly shared throughout the full 90’, with no team dominating the Deacy turf, it is clear that The Hoops are close to working out the answer to the women in maroon - to finding the square root of Therese Kinnevey at right back, and 3 to the power of Julie-Ann-Russell, but on this occasion, the clock ran out.

There are ninety vital minutes left to play between both sides in this campaign in seven days' time, when both teams battle for All Island Cup glory - more than enough hours for Collie O’Neill to assess United's past papers and work out the Rubik’s Cube that senior women's manager Phil Trill has spun.

Rovers Women made three changes for this fixture - Emily Corbet, Fiona Owens and Stephanie Zambra starting in place of Joy Ralph, Shauna Fox and Ella Kelly.

Russell, as expected, was an absolute handful and never stopped with her press for the full 90’.

March signing Owens wrestled with JAR for much of the contest as the senior irish international sprinted and weaved on the left, her quick feet forcing a gap in the Rover’s backline as she swung inside a number of strikes that failed to trouble Amanda Budden.

At twenty-one years young, Owen’s however is a worthy opponent for veteran Russell and if selected for the fixture on Saturday, will no doubt find that those one v one battles stand her in good stead against the pacey striker (check out her timely clearance on 44mins.)

Jessica Hennessy and Maria Reynolds oozed experience and were unruffled by Russell and Slattery’s charges as they stood tall, calmly shielding the ball from the forwards as they nipped at their heels.

Reynolds held Emma Doherty to account on the left, but on the right skipper Lynsey McKey would have success and come agonisingly close to the net as her strike from an obtuse angle almost found Budden wanting - the woodwork Rovers saviour.

Isabella Beletic was a force for United, her strength posing a real challenge for the green and white shirts and it was here that Scarlett Herron’s grit and bravery in the challenge was missed by Rovers.

Hennessy and Reynolds to their credit pushed forward when needed and utilised their physical presence to great effect for the visitors, while O’Gorman and Zambra equally muscled, but Herron’s Keano-esque style of play could no doubt be a game changer should the Monaghan native be selected for the replay.

Kate Thompson had a chance to break the deadlock with a glancing header within the 1st half hour but the ball would drift harmlessly wide.

Therese Kinnevey to her credit played a blinder for United and is perhaps the only right back who can go toe to toe with Malahide magician O’Leary who, despite Kinnevey’s quality, had success on occasion on the left as she accelerated beyond the tenacious defender with her trademark suave.

O’Leary’s set-piece service into the box was of its usual Michelin star standard.

However, swarmed by the maroon shirts as the ball sailed through the air, Corbet and Zambra were unable to capitalise, while Hammer punched another of the number 11’s whips clear.

Former Wexford FC star Corbet showed class as clear as a piece of Waterford crystal when she controlled the ball with one touch in the centre before playing a deft ball on the turn with the second to O'Gorman who had pedalled down the right.

The skipper opted to chip the ball into the box but Zambras line of sight was hampered by the sunlight and the United goal minder did well to block as O’Leary struck on the rebound.

The University of Alabama goal minder would do well to recover and deny both Zambra and Corbet on foot of playing out two dicey out balls in the first 45 to keep the game on level terms.

Rovers stuck with their starting eleven for the start of the second half.

The icebreaker came in the 56th when O’Gorman upended Emma Doherty in the box.

Slattery would not be drawn by Budden as she bounced on the line, slotting the ball calmly into the bottom right hand corner with what (if appearances can be trusted) a resting heart rate of under 60.

O’Neill would trigger a triple substitution with twenty minutes left to play and introduce rocket launcher Ralph into the fray, along with the swift Shauna Fox and the fearless Katie O’Reilly - followed by the lithe Lauren Kelly.

The second Kelly on the turf (Aoife) looked to have just left her very own dress rehearsal - that of a Dancing With The Stars practice session, as the number eight tip-toed with light feet away from skipper Lynsey McKey, who found herself locked out as Kelly twisted out of reach.

Melissa O'Kane was once again all flair, weaving as if she were playing under La Liga's spanish sun.

Zambra would fire on the volley from the lip of the box but United goal minder Hammer would collect.

The Tribeswomen would introduce the skillful Aislinn Meaney as the minutes wound down, along with striker Rola Olusola, who almost netted a second for United but both Budden and Hennessy were wide to the threat.

It was a scrappy affair in the final twenty.

Skipper O’Gorman would come within inches of sealing the equaliser for Rovers with a weighted free-kick that knocked off the woodwork and over.

Thompson’s half volley attempt almost caught Budden off guard but the ball would just miss its mark.

United would hold on to once again take the three points by the narrowest of margins from Rovers, who will be hoping that seven days out from their first All Island Cup final, it will turn out to be a case of "Lost the battle but won the war."