Galway United women's side miss out on European football

Level on points in joint second position with Shelbourne in the Women's National League, but with an inferior goal difference, this last game of the season was a must win for the home side. However, their opening half difficulties continued to manifest itself as they failed to score in the first half for the seventh game in succession.

Adding to that, the concession of two goals really put them on the back foot, before a tremendous second half recovery saw a completely different team emerge as they dominated proceedings for the duration and while they were rewarded with two late goals to secure a draw, it also meant they came up short in their quest to overcome the Dublin side.

Now the home side certainly started on the front foot and early optimism saw Abbie Callanan extend goalkeeper Mya Sanchez and while the home side offered early pressure, chances were were hard to find. In contrast there was more of a cutting edge about the visitors once the game settled down.

Now while they too were slow to build on the momentum gained, but once they warmed to the task, the home side were back peddling. A Becky Walkins shot on 21 minutes saw Amanda McQuillan fully extended to tip over, before the custodian displayed a pair of safe hands to cut out a Wollmer cross.

The lead goal arrived on 29 minutes with the concession of a soft free outside the box and from the resulting set piece Alex Kavanagh drilled a cracking effort into the far top corner for a 1-0 advantage. The home response was timid, as they struggled to gain any foothold. Long range efforts from Niamh Farrelly and Aoibheann Costello never troubled Sanchez, as the home side struggled to gain any momentum.

United were really in trouble when Shelbourne made it 2-0 on 41 minutes, when a throw-in from the right wing broke to Isabella Fiocchini on the edge of the box and her low shot got the better of McQuillan to give her side a cushion at the interval.

Now the resumption saw the home side up their intensity as they added a bit of physicality to their game and for the majority of the half they had the visitors on the back foot. Limited chances were created with the best of them an Ava Mullins free kick from the left wing that was met by Emma Doherty at the far post, but the reflexes of Sanchez blocked it on the line.

A contentious moment saw United have a goal disallowed on 78 minutes, when Farrelly headed a breaking ball to the net, but fussy referee Mark Patchell deemed that an earlier heading duel was a foul and awarded a free out. It was a strange decision by an official who flashed eleven yellow cards in the game.

They were the type of opportunities that needed to go the way of the home side and Shelbourne appeared content to hold the advantage they had secured as little was seen of them as an attacking force in the second half. In contrast United were doing all the pressing and Jade Rehberger was thwarted by a smart Sanchez save, before a lifeline on 90 minutes, when a shot by substitute Aoibhinn Donnolly was handled in the box and Doherty duly slotted home the resulting spot kick to reduce the arrears to 2-1.

The pressure on the Shels goal was unrelenting and Galway United were rewarded with the equaliser in additional time, when Lucy Jane Grant eventually forced a close range shot home to tie up matters at 2-2. However, that was to prove to be the highlight as the final long whistle quickly followed to extinguish any dreams of a further reward.

Reflection will show that United's failings were not against Athlone and Shelbourne against whom they were unbeaten in league action, but against some of the lower finishers whom they needlessly dropped points against, with two defeats against Bohemians particularly punishing. On the plus side they enjoyed another competitive season, with skipper Aoibheann Costello and leading scorer Emma Doherty selected for the League of Ireland Women's Team of the Year just announced last week.

Galway United: McQuillan, Griffin, Mullins, Grant, Rehberger, Dossen, Beletic, Farrelly, Doherty, Callanan (Donnolly 60mins) Costello.

Shelbourne: Sanchez, Keenan, Doyle, Slattery, Kavanagh (Pierce 68mins), Watkins, Fiocchini, Wollmer (McCarn 88mins), Gargan, Kelly, Harcourt (Mooney 68mins).

Referee: Mark Patchell.