Match Report: Treaty United 2 Waterford 0

History was made today as Waterford Women’s team played League of Ireland Premier Division football for the first time. They began with a 2-0 defeat to Treaty United at the Market’s Field, but will have learned a lot quickly from a game in which they were very competitive and certainly didn’t look out of their depth even at this very early stage of the team’s development.

The Blues really flew out of the blocks and were the better team in the opening exchanges with Erin O’Brien and Chloe Atkinson marauding forward on the wings. The first real chance of the game fell Waterford’s way when Atkinson’s cross from the right found Mia Lenihan on the back post, but her header on target was blocked out for a corner.

 

(Back - Lauren Egbuloniu, Olivia Shannon, Maeve Williams, Sophie Slattery, Chloe Atkinson, Danielle Burke.

Front - Danielle Griffin, Jess Lawler, Mia Lenihan, Lauren Walsh, Erin O'Brien)

 

The standout player of the game, Bella Flocchini, began to make her mark after Treaty had withstood the visitors’ early pressure. Maeve Williams was forced into an acrobatic tip over her crossbar, followed by an easier low save, both from the Reno, Nevada native who has joined the Limerick club from a high standard of collegiate football in California.

The home side started to dominate midway through the first half, but the Blues centre half pairing were standing firm – Dan Burke looking assured while Lauren Walsh got in a great block on Kate Jones when she was played through on goal. Young Sophie Slattery was showing excellent strength in midfield while Lenihan had some probing passes into attack.

The opening goal came slightly out of the blue as the visitors seemed comfortable in the game. Japanese left back Ayaka Ikeza sent in a searching cross which wasn’t dealt with ruthlessly enough. The ball fell to Katie Lawlee and last season’s LOI Young Player of the Year nominee fired a rocket shot to the roof of the net from the edge of the box to give United a 35^th minute lead.

Waterford suffered a double blow at the same time as striker Lauren Egbuloniu went off injured after a bad knock. Let’s hope she is alright for next week as her hold-up and target play had been key.

 

(Lauren Walsh, terrific today, battles for possession - Sportsfile)

 

The more experienced Treaty side, gelled from previous seasons, controlled most of the second half and were unlucky not to put the game away earlier than they did. Flocchini had a shot from distance held by Williams while Walsh had to stop Lawlee with a tremendous last-ditch challenge. Then, Williams pulled off a stunning one-handed save from the American while Lawlee hammered a shot off the bar. Waterford were struggling to regain a foothold and a rare break saw substitute Nancy Edogiawerie shoot wide from distance.

The result was all but confirmed in the 75^th minute when Flocchini curled an outrageous left-footed shot over Williams from outside the area with no defender able to close her down. Atkinson had a dangerous free kick punched away by Treaty’s Finnish goalkeeper Liisa Marie Tuomi at the death, but the Blues weren’t destined to get on the scoresheet.

There are plenty of positives to be taken from today, but Gary Hunt and the team will know the improvements they need to make. The Blues have a particularly tough task next week when last season’s League and Cup double winners Shelbourne come to the RSC on the back of a late loss to Shamrock Rovers this afternoon. A large crowd of Blues fans really could make all the difference come three o’clock next Saturday.

Maeve Williams; Danielle Griffin (Zara Corcoran, 86), Lauren Walsh, Dan Burke, Jess Lawler; Olivia Shannon (Aoibh Thomas, 64), Sophie Slattery; Erin O’Brien, Mia Lenihan, Chloe Atkinson; Lauren Egbuloniu (Nancy Edogiawerie, 34).