Sligo Rovers 1-0 Shelbourne

Sligo Rovers moved into fourth place in Women’s Premier Division table after a massive 1-0 win over Shelbourne at the Showgrounds on Saturday night.

Gracie Dunaway’s 22nd minute goal was the difference as Rovers overcame a Shelbourne side with title ambitions as the season reaches the business end.

That win brings Gavin Hughes’ side a point ahead of Shamrock Rovers in fourth who have now lost three games on the bounce.

The home side started brightly and while they had Shelbourne under pressure, the experienced Shels side dealt well with everything that was thrown their way.

Then the opener arrived on 22 minutes.

Dunaway gained possession on the right hand side and sent a menacing ball into the box that Mya Sanchez couldn’t get a hand onto, with Rovers taking the lead in spectacular fashion.

It looked like a cross, but Dunaway later admitted she fully intended to put that ball into that area.

Rovers had chances to extend their lead further in the first-half, but the real controversy came before half-time when Shelbourne were furious as they were denied a penalty.

Kate Mooney was fouled inside the box by Olivia Rush, and referee Robert Dowling waved play on despite the protests.

Anna McDaniel came close to making it 2-0 but her short just trailed wide of the post, before Cara Jordan forced another save from Mya Sanchez in the Shels goals.

Bonnie McKiernan was on hand to keep out everything that Shels created in the second-half, and again there were protests from the Shelbourne bench when Bella Flocchini went down inside the box after contact with McKiernan.

But referee Robert Dowling again saw no issue with the interaction, as Shels grew more frustrated as they struggled to find a way back into this game late on.

Before that, Maeve Wollmer had forced a number of saves from McKiernan who was at her best on Saturday night in front of the TG4 cameras at the Showgrounds.

McKiernan just got a fingertip to Wollmer’s shot on 50 minutes to force it wide with Kate Mooney nearby.

Shelbourne had a lot of the ball later on, but simply could not find a way back into this game.

Although Sean Russell’s side will certainly have gone home on Saturday evening feeling somewhat aggrieved having not got that penalty in the first-half.

But that performance from Rovers will give the Bit O’Red a huge boost going into their final four games of the season, with several players, including Gio Dionicio hitting form at the right time.

Sligo Rovers: B McKiernan, A Lillie, E Karolak, A Doherty, S Hillyer, E Duffy, C Jordan, G Dunaway, O Rush, G Dionicio (R McGoldrick, 92), A McDaniel (M McIntyre, 72).

Shelbourne: M Sanchez, L Doyle, P Slattery, J Gargan, M Wollmer, A Kavanagh, Aoife Kelly, Maggie Pierce, Olivia Damico (N Hannon, 80), I Flocchini, K Mooney (B Severns, 72)

Referee: R Dowling.