Galway will host a feast of university women’s soccer next week with three finals taking place on March 19.
NUI Galway have reached the decider in the premier division Shield competition which takes place at Drom Soccer Park next Tuesday. The Galway women, coached by John Hyne and featuring Irish international Jennifer Byrne, are hoping home advantage will propel them to finish the season with some silverware when they face Athlone IT.
Also at the same venue Cork IT B will face University of Ulster Jordanstown in the first division final, with kick off times at 3.30pm.
Later in the day Eamon Deacy Park will host the premier division cup final between Sligo IT and University College Dublin at 6.45pm. Sligo boast international Deirdre Doherty from Charlestown in Mayo, while Galway‘s international star,Dora Gorman, will be playing for UCD.
FAI Junior Cup
In the FAI Junior Cup, the remaining Galway representatives, Ballinasloe Town, will face Kilbarrack United in the quarter-finals which will take place on the weekend of March 23/24.
It is a tough draw for the Ballinasloe club with Killbarrack, who, having finished runners-up in last year’s tournament, boast a number of ex League of Ireland players such as Aaronn Humphries (St Patrick’s Athletic ), Daniel Byrne (Bohemians ) and Derek Townley (Sporting Fingal ),
However Ballinasloe, managed by Enda Concannon, will look to their experienced players, captain Peter Keighery who was with Derby County, Gary Egan, and former Longford Town’s Liam Lynch and Daragh Concannon.
The FAI Junior Cup, in its 95th year, is one of the largest amateur cup competitions in Europe. The finals are scheduled to take place in the Aviva Stadium in June.
FAI Junior Cup quarter-final draw: Pike Rovers v Ballymun United; St Kevin’s Boys v Sheriff YC; Carew Park v Pearse Celtic; Ballinasloe Town v Kilbarrack United.
Ireland v Austria
Tickets for the World Cup qualifer at Landsdowne Road on Tuesday, March 26, can be ordered from Galway United Supporters Trust. For further information, contact Ronan Coleman 087-6972823.
