Sligo Rovers 2-4 Dundalk FC WU19
LOI WU19 Academy Cup Quarter Final

Our WU19 team produced a sensational performance as they roared into the semi-finals of the LOI WU19 Cup with a 4-2 win over Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds on Sunday evening.

After a long day of travelling, which wasn’t helped by their bus breaking down on the route west, the Lilywhites arrived just 15 minutes before kickoff, meaning that the game was delayed by an hour.

The Bit o’Red capitalised, going ahead after less than five minutes through Katie Maguire but Dundalk hit back when captain Ciara Whyte set Madeleine McKinley up for the equaliser after 15 minutes.

Whyte contributed with another assist on the half-hour with Molly Williams applying the finish to put Jason McConville’s side in front but Sligo pulled level just four minutes before the break through Eimear McIntyre.

That looked to have left things all square at the interval but Dundalk showed great character and they restored their lead before the break when Sarah Byrne picked out Ella McKenna and she made no mistake to make it 3-2!

The fourth, and killer goal, arrived in the 54th minute when McKinley’s corner was met on the volley by Williams and the ball whistled past the Sligo goalkeeper to deservedly book Dundalk’s place in the final four.

“It’s absolutely incredible where we’ve got to,” said an ecstatic McConville afterwards. “I couldn’t be any prouder of this team. It was a fantastic performance and they’ve been a credit to themselves and the football club this season,

“Getting to the semi-finals is an achievement in itself but hopefully we can get to a cup final and keep going well in the league because it’s the very least this group of players deserve for what they’ve put in all year.”

DUNDALK FC WU19: Caoimhe Magee, Laura Woods, Zara Farrell, Ciara Whyte, Sarah Byrne, Molly Williams, Madeleine McKinley, Ella McKenna, Stephanie Cunningham, Jodie McQuillan, Maggie Holland. Subs: Emma Goodman (GK), Kelly Pease, Kerry Ann Gavin, Abigail Martin, Hannah Cooney, Ellie Smyth, Shannon Guildea, Charlotte Fogarty.