Clinical City sweep Sligo aside

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Cork City returned to Turner’s Cross for their first home game of the 2025 SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division season, where they took on Sligo Rovers. City were looking to pick up their first points of the season after losing 2-0 to Peamount United on the opening day. As for Sligo, they were looking to build on a promising 0-0 draw with Bohemians in the Showgrounds.

Frank Kellher made just one change to the side that faced Peamount, with Fiana Bradley dropping to the bench to be replaced by Aoibhín Donnelly. 

The visitors also made one change to their side that were held by Bohs, with Paula McGrory returning to the side to replace Mairead McIntyre after McGrory suffered a late injury before kick off last week.

The hosts started strongly and dominated the ball early on, and their dominance paid off twenty minutes in. Heidi Mackin played a long ball over the top of the left hand channel for Eva Mangan to chase. Mangan lifted it across goal past the onrushing Bonnie McKiernan where Christina Dring was on hand to tap it in and make it 1-0 to City.

Things got even better for the Rebel Army five minutes later, as City doubled their lead. Alana Doherty received it in defence just inside her own half but her attempted long ball was closed down by Christina Dring. Dring latched onto the loose ball and sped in on goal, before going around Bonnie McKiernan and tapping the ball into an empty net to give her side a two goal cushion

City were dominating in the first half, but Sligo had chances of their own, and came close with thirty seven minutes played. Sligo played good football down the right hand side before Cara King’s cross found the feet of Paula McGrory, but she couldn't quite keep her shot on target as it flew just wide of the post.

That would be the last big action of the half as the hosts went into the break two goals to the good after an extremely impressive first half performance.

City picked up where they left off, and continued their excellent play and found a third goal in the sixty third minute. Eva Mangan swung in a free kick that was punched away by McKiernan. The ball fell to Niamh Cotter, whose shot was saved, but Aoibhín Donnelly was on hand to loop the follow up into the back of the net to give City a three goal lead.

It got better yet again for the home side as they got a fourth just three minutes later. Eva Mangan sent an inswinging corner towards the back post, where it found Ciara Fitzpatrick who powered a header home from close range to put the game to bed.

Sligo began to trouble City’s backline and came close to getting a goal back with fifteen minutes to play, after Katie Melly hit the bar from a long range free kick, with Una Foyle having to tip Keeva Flynn’s follow up header over the bar.

Sligo refused to lie down and came close twice in two minutes in the last two minutes of normal time. Alan Doherty managed to get on the end of a cross in the box, but dragged her shot just wide of the post, and just two minutes later Keeva Flynn got on the end of a corner and hit it on the volley, but again her shot was dragged inches wide of the post.

There was more drama to come, as Sligo were awarded a penalty in the dying stages of injury time after the ball was adjudged to have come off the arm of Ciara McNamara in the box. Muireann Devaney stepped up to take it, but she saw her penalty tipped around the post by Una Foyle to secure her clean sheet.

And that was that. Cork City claimed all three points in their first home game of the season in front of an enthusiastic Turner’s Cross crowd. City put in a stellar performance and thoroughly deserved the win. They were defensively very solid and caused the Sligo backline problems all night long.

As for Sligo, they struggled to keep up with Cork City at times and weren't able to contain the Cork City frontline. They did have a good spell towards the end of the game, but by then it was too little too late. Credit to them for not giving up on the game, but they just couldn't match Cork City on the day.

My player of the match goes to Christina Dring. Dring proved to be a handful all night long for the Sligo backline and could have gotten four or five on the night. She was the focal point of the City attack and played some brilliant linkup play as well.

Cork City will take this performance and hope to replicate it when they travel Athlone town next Saturday. As for Sligo, they'll be looking to bounce back as they host league newcomers Waterford on the same day.