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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Champions League debutants Athlone Town slay Cardiff City
Women's Champions League, first round ATHLONE TOWN 4 (Izzy Groves 15, Róisín Molloy 40, 43, Hannah Waesch 49) CARDIFF CITY 0 Wales got the better of Ireland for a Euros spot but there was a sinew of revenge on the club front by Athlone Town dumping Cardiff City out of the Champions League. This was the first time in 42 years for Athlone Town to sample the European stage – the first time for the women's team – and they made their mark with an emphatic first-half blitz to slay the Welsh dragons. Athlone's women's team has always carried a transatlantic influence, with four in the starting team from USA and Canada, but Róisín Molloy from Gurteen in Sligo was the star that shone brightest. A marauding presence from the right flank, she teed up captain Izzy Groves to fire home a 15th minute breakthrough before swelling the lead with a brace within three minutes approaching the break. Hannah Waesch slotted in from close-range within four minutes of the restart to complete the rout, allowing manager Colin Fortune to rest players with Saturday's second round tie against Croatian side ZNK Agram in mind. Shannon Evans of Cardiff City tries to keep a shot from Roisin Molloy from crossing the line. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Former Ireland manager Vera Pauw criticised Uefa for recalibrating Uefa's sole women's competition in favour of the larger powerbrokers, suppressing any slim prospect of an outlier emerging from the shadows to cause a shock. Restructuring changed the old 16-team group stage that kicked off the competition into an 18-club league phase. That entails three rounds of qualifying – beginning with this Celtic derby in the first round of the Champions Path. It means a quick turnaround for Athlone but at least to do again have home advantage. That worked a treat on this occasion, for the sold-out sign was raised four hours before kick-off, leading to queues around a Lissywollen Stadium that struggles to attract 400 for the men's team. As it transpired, an historic number of 1,916 was declared for a crowd that did include Ireland assistant manager Alan Mahon. At 23, Molloy is someone the international management could be minded to consider with the Uefa Nations League playoff against Belgium approaching in October. ATHLONE TOWN: M Plaschko; K Brennan (I Ryan 85), S Brennan, N McNally, K Shine; H Waesch, I Groves (K Slevin 70); R Molloy (A Murphy 82), S Rice, M Gibson; K Brady (H Donegan 70). CARDIFF CITY: C Chamberlain: L Owen, F Price, H Evans, N Jenkins; F Barry, K Walklett, L Billingham, M Cook; H Evans, L Curnock. Referee: Karoline Marie Jensen (NOR)
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
‘I expect glorious days ahead' – Athlone Town backer adds to football portfolio with stake in Northern Ireland club
ATHLONE TOWN backer Nick Giannotti has expanded his interests by buying a stake in Larne. Giannotti and Eric Perez will join the board of directors at Inver Park after Redball Global acquired Kenny Bruce's 50 percent holding in his hometown club. The Giannotti is already a director at Plymouth Argyle whilst Canadian Perez is the owner of Truro City who have won promotion to the National League. Giannotti said: 'It's very exciting to join a club with a great community, a great ground, great partners, and more. Together I expect glorious days ahead.' It is unclear what sort of interaction there might be between the various clubs. Other multi-club models such as the Trivela Group's owning both Walsall and Drogheda United and Waterford's link-up with Fleetwood Town have seen significant traffic between sister clubs. Read More on League of Ireland Trivela's acquisition of Silkerborg ultimately cost Drogheda a place in European competition, earned on the back of their FAI Cup win. The American company failed to take the necessary steps to comply with Uefa's rules around ownership to allow both clubs compete in the Europa Conference League. As Silkeborg finished higher in the Danish League than Drogheda did in the League of Ireland, they got the nod to take part. 1 Athlone Town backer Nick Giannotti has bought a stake in Larne FC Credit: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile
The 42
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Athlone Town drawn to face Cardiff in Champions League qualifying
ATHLONE TOWN HAVE been drawn to face Cardiff City in their first-ever Women's Champions League fixture. The draw took place in Nyon today, with the sides squaring off in a first qualifying round semi-final in Group 5 on Wednesday, 30 July. The winners take on ZNK Agram of Croatia in the final on Saturday, 3 August where a place in the second round of qualifying is up for grabs. Athlone Town were crowned Women's Premier Division champions for the first time last season and are the only side who remain unbeaten this season, holding a one-point lead on Shelbourne at the top of the table. We have drawn Cardiff City in First Qualifying Round Semi Final in the Women's Champions League. More details to be announced.#PrideofTheMidlands — Athlone Town AFC (@AthloneTownAFC) June 24, 2025 Advertisement
