ATHLONE TOWN HAVE progressed to the Uefa Women’s Champions League first qualifying round final after easing past North Macedonian side ŽFK Skopje 2014 in Poland.
Shauna Brennan, Noelle Murray, Dana Scheriff and Michaela Hand scored the goals for the League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division champions at Zagłębiowski Park Sosnowiec.
Lily Agg’s side will face mini-tournament hosts KKS Czarni Sosnowiec or Georgia’s WFC Nike for a place in the second qualifying round on Saturday. They play at 5pm on Wednesday.
This was an utterly dominant performance from Athlone, who racked up 31 attempts – eight on target – as opposed to Skopje’s two in the first half alone.
Kellie Brennan opens the scoring for @AthloneTownAFC in Poland!
The Midlanders broke the deadlock in the 19th minute through Brennan, who turned home Roisin Molloy’s cross from the right flank after Scheriff’s initial shot was blocked.
Molloy was the creator again for the second just before half-time, as former Shelbourne star Noelle Murray met her cross at the back post with a powerful header on her return to Champions League action.
And the fourth and final came off another corner eight minutes from time, as Brennan’s set-piece was only half-cleared to Hand on the edge of the box, and the substitution struck for home.
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Micheala Hand scores moments after coming off the bench!
Athlone’s experience and quality told throughout as they made light work of a lower-ranked side comprised fully of North Macedonian players.
A sterner challenge awaits on Saturday if they are to reach the second qualifying round: Poland’s KKS Czarni Sosnowiec are expected to come through the other semi-final, with international midfielder Patrycja Sarapata their star name.
Athlone advanced last year, becoming the first Irish team since Raheny United in 2014/15 to come through the first qualifying round after comfortable wins over Cardiff City and ŽNK Agram.
Icelandic champions Breiðablik ended their Champions League journey thereafter, but they dropped to the Uefa Women’s Europa Cup after beating Crvena Zvezda. Glasgow City ended their European journey there.
Should Town win on Saturday, they will face Cypriot champions Apollon LFC first at another mini-tournament in August.
Again, the runners-up and third-placed teams there get another chance in the Europa Cup, alongside those eliminated in the third qualifying round. Lose before that in the Champions League, and the qualification dream dies.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland champions Glentoran will face Latvian outfit Dinamo Riga in their first round semi-final in Wrexham at 2pm, with the Welsh champions or Pyunik of Armenia their potential final opponents.
ATHLONE TOWN: Maria Matthaiou, Kayleigh Shine, Phoebe Hampson (Kellie Brennan 83), Sofia Casaubon Stovold, Shauna Brennan (Michaela Hand 78), Alexis Strickland (Chloe Singleton 69), Hannah Waesch (captain, Kerryanne Brown HT), Noelle Murray, Roisin Molloy, Madi Gibson (Isabel Ryan HT), Dana Scheriff
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Athlone Town advance in Champions League after swatting aside Skopje
Athlone Town 4
ŽFK Skopje 2014 0
ATHLONE TOWN HAVE progressed to the Uefa Women’s Champions League first qualifying round final after easing past North Macedonian side ŽFK Skopje 2014 in Poland.
Shauna Brennan, Noelle Murray, Dana Scheriff and Michaela Hand scored the goals for the League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division champions at Zagłębiowski Park Sosnowiec.
Lily Agg’s side will face mini-tournament hosts KKS Czarni Sosnowiec or Georgia’s WFC Nike for a place in the second qualifying round on Saturday. They play at 5pm on Wednesday.
This was an utterly dominant performance from Athlone, who racked up 31 attempts – eight on target – as opposed to Skopje’s two in the first half alone.
The Midlanders broke the deadlock in the 19th minute through Brennan, who turned home Roisin Molloy’s cross from the right flank after Scheriff’s initial shot was blocked.
Molloy was the creator again for the second just before half-time, as former Shelbourne star Noelle Murray met her cross at the back post with a powerful header on her return to Champions League action.
The third was another header in the 77th minute, with free-scoring American star Scheriff getting on the scoresheet after a Brennan corner.
And the fourth and final came off another corner eight minutes from time, as Brennan’s set-piece was only half-cleared to Hand on the edge of the box, and the substitution struck for home.
Athlone’s experience and quality told throughout as they made light work of a lower-ranked side comprised fully of North Macedonian players.
A sterner challenge awaits on Saturday if they are to reach the second qualifying round: Poland’s KKS Czarni Sosnowiec are expected to come through the other semi-final, with international midfielder Patrycja Sarapata their star name.
Athlone advanced last year, becoming the first Irish team since Raheny United in 2014/15 to come through the first qualifying round after comfortable wins over Cardiff City and ŽNK Agram.
Icelandic champions Breiðablik ended their Champions League journey thereafter, but they dropped to the Uefa Women’s Europa Cup after beating Crvena Zvezda. Glasgow City ended their European journey there.
Should Town win on Saturday, they will face Cypriot champions Apollon LFC first at another mini-tournament in August.
Again, the runners-up and third-placed teams there get another chance in the Europa Cup, alongside those eliminated in the third qualifying round. Lose before that in the Champions League, and the qualification dream dies.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland champions Glentoran will face Latvian outfit Dinamo Riga in their first round semi-final in Wrexham at 2pm, with the Welsh champions or Pyunik of Armenia their potential final opponents.
ATHLONE TOWN: Maria Matthaiou, Kayleigh Shine, Phoebe Hampson (Kellie Brennan 83), Sofia Casaubon Stovold, Shauna Brennan (Michaela Hand 78), Alexis Strickland (Chloe Singleton 69), Hannah Waesch (captain, Kerryanne Brown HT), Noelle Murray, Roisin Molloy, Madi Gibson (Isabel Ryan HT), Dana Scheriff
ŽFK SKOPJE 2014: Evgenija Veljanovska, Kristina Krsteva, Mihaela Dodevska (Blehana Alieska 36), Sara Kolarovska (captain), Mila Paneva, Hristina Joshevska, Radica Choneva (Besarta Fida 66), Jovana Karalioska, Ivana Milevska, Rabija Dervishi (Elena Naomoska), Jovana Pavloska (Ana Borizoska 66)
REFEREE: Ugne Smitaite (Lithuania)
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