EMMA Doherty netted FIVE goals as the Donegal Women’s League defeated Sligo Rovers in the FAI Womens U17 League.
Donegal Women’s League 7 Sligo Rovers 2
In the first game of the season Sligo took all three points in a nail biting encounter by three goals to two margin, but Donegal flipped the tables, spurred by Doherty’s handful.
Sligo set the marker in the 17th minute when, after a defensive error, Allice Lille bounced on a loose ball in the final third, seeing the run of Rebecca Doody in the penalty box picked out a pin point pass, with Lille slotting the ball in pass the advancing Jodie McFadden, making her first appearance in the National League
However this didn’t hinder the keeper’s confidence and three mins later McFadden’s pin point long pass to winger Codie Walsh out in right send a diagonal ball in behind the Sligo defence for the advancing run of Doherty to fire into the net.
Donegal grew in their stride with some great one pass football, with a impressive passage of play starting with Emily Irwin, going through seven Donegal players before finding Doherty to assist Walsh for the lead goal.
Doherty extended the lead in the 33rd minute after the trickery of Jodie Loughrey bypassed Sligo’s Right back Keri O’Hara.
With Donegal going into the break with a three-one cushion, Sligo came out firing at the start of the second half
Lara Swan linked up with Rebecca Doody in a goal mouth scramble however after a initial tackle by Darcey Kelly, Shania McMonagle took control to come out with the ball.
Whatever hopes Sligo had were obliterated midway through the second hall when Keri Loughrey hit a sweet diagonal ball to Doherty who checked inside and, from just inside the box, drilled a low drive into the bottom corner.
In the 68th minute, Rebecca Doddy pulled one back for Sligo from the penalty spot resulting from a hand ball.
Doherty got her fifth of the evening from a Erin Doherty tackle at edge of box before passing out to Erika Gallagher who had the confidence to bypass Nola Eivers in midfield before passing to Niamh Seeeney on the left and she crossed for Doherty to aply the finish.
With minutes remaining Nicole McDaid passed to Megan McLoughlin, who bore down on the Sligo box before sending a scorching ball high to the Sligo net.
Donegal Women’s League Under-17s: Jodie McFadden, Lucy Canning(Siobhan Cameron 76mins), Darcey Kelly, Shania McMonagle, Emily Irwin, Codie Walsh (Nicole McDai 72min), Erin Doherty (Megan McLoughlin 82min), Keri Loughrey, Erika Gallagher, Jodie Loughrey (Niamh Seeeney 72min), Emma Doherty
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