WNL: City 1-2 Athlone

Cork City fell to a 1-0 defeat against Athlone Town in their latest SSE Airtricity Women’s National League game on Saturday at Turner’s Cross.

City nearly got off to the best possible start with an Eva Mangan corner in the 5^th minute finding Laura Shine who got a powerful head to the ball but it crashed off the crossbar and Athlone cleared the danger. Athlone took the lead in the 19^th minute as a through ball found Madison Gibson who ran into the box and finished well to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

City pressed for an equaliser coming closest in the 28^th minute as Laura Shine evaded her marker and got a shot on goal but her effort was just wide of the goal. Dannielle Burke came close on the edge of half time with a flick from a corner going just wide and the first half finished with the visitors leading 1-0.

City quickly got an equaliser in the second half as an Eva Mangan corner found Becky Cassin whose headed effort was parried but only into the path of the onrushing Christina Dring who applied the finish to make it 1-1. Athlone however were shortly awarded a penalty as the referee deemed a handball inside the penalty area from a City defender. Emily Corbett stepped up but Abby McCarthy made the save to keep the score level.

Athlone however would continue to press the City defence and got the winning goal as Madison Gibson made a powerful run into the penalty area and applied a good finish to make it 2-1 to Athlone which the game finished at.

City are back in action at Turner’s Cross next Saturday as they host Sligo Rovers in the SSE Airtricity Women’s National League with a 5pm kick off.

Cork City: Abby McCarthy, Zara Foley, Danielle Burke, Lauren Walsh, Heidi Mackin, Eva Mangan, Becky Cassin (Lauren Singleton 80’), Nadine Seward (Ellie O’Brien 80’), Aoibhin Donnelly (Orlaith Deasy 71’), Laura Shine, Christina Dring (Fiana Bradley 71’).