WPD Preview: Galway United vs City

It is a long-awaited return to SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division action today as Cork City travel to take on Galway United at Eamon Deacy Park at 5pm, a game streamed live on LOITV. Manager Danny Murphy sat down with Robert Aungier during the week to discuss the game.

“Going into the game on Saturday it’s really good to get back to playing league games. We are excited to go to Galway. We know the opposition is tough, they are strong and physical and a team we have struggled with dealing with in the past. We have done the hard work now. We have trained really well in the last 2-3 weeks and the girls came back in good shape”.

“It’s been a long break and it feels like we have done another mini pre-season, and everyone is really excited for this game. We prepared well to hopefully get the best possible result on Saturday evening”.

Galway have been busy with incoming and outgoing players during the summer break. This week Julie-Ann Russell resigned for the club after returning from maternity leave. Russell has represented the national team on 59 occasions, won Women’s national league player of the year in 2014, won FAI senior women’s international player of the year in 2014/15. She played for Western Sydney Wanderers in the Women’s A League from 2017-2020.

Scorer of the winning goal in the Avenir Sports All-Island Cup Final Gemma McGuinness has departed the club to join AFC Bournemouth across the Irish sea. The winger scored 5 goals in 16 games for the Tribeswomen.

Former City defender Orlaith Deasy joined Galway United from Wexford Youths this summer break. Deasy was a key member of the team that won the u17s league with City in 2020.

Galway have won seven of their 13 games and currently sit 5th in the table though the sides were only separated by a late Jenna Slattery goal in the previous meeting between the teams this season.